Bok Choy 101 _ Everything You Need to Know 02

Did you ever taste traditional Chinese cuisines? As a food lover like me, I hope you did so. On my last China visit, I have spent almost a week.

That was one of the most memorable tours of my tiny life. I have learned lots of Chinese cultures and taste some Chinese cuisines.

Can you guess what my most favorite Chinese cuisine was?

You may already start to think about Kung Pao Chicken, Wontons, Chow Mein, Ma Po Tofu or Peking Roasted Duck. Am I right? I know I am!

I have tried all of these Chinese cuisines on my most of the Chinese tours. But I have tried a completely different and nutritious food on my latest tour. And that is “Bok Choy”!

 

 

Voila! Don’t tell me that you are not surprised! This Chinese national cuisine owns the eternal point of my heart. I am quite sure that its taste will hypnotize you!

Yeah! I can see that you are murmuring about how to cut Bok Choy and prepare it for your next meal! You are not alone, dear! Not only the Chinese people but also the people from all over the world search a lot about how to cut up Bok Choy?

I also searched for a lot. But I didn’t find any classified information about this vegetable where I will get almost all of the information that I need to cook Bok Choy. So, what can I do for them?

While I was cooking Bok Choy in my kitchen the day before yesterday, a flashing thought crosses my mind.

I think why I didn’t write a blog about my real-life experience of Bok Choy’s journey with my fellows? That’s why I end up on here.

I am determined to inform you about the Bok Choy health benefits, how to cut Bok Choy, how to cut baby Bok Choy, shopping and storing of Bok Choy, and few popular uses of Bok Choy.

So, why are we waiting? Let’s roll up and proceed to taste the heavenly cuisine!

 

What is Bok Choy?

Bok Choy is Chinese national cuisine. It is also known as Pak Choi, Brassica rapa, or Chinese cabbage. Bok Choy is a Cantonese word. It means “white vegetable.”

It is a member of the cabbage family. This cruciferous vegetable has a round-shaped tender white bulb on the bottom. It grows a few green leaves from that bottom.

These leaves are shaped like blades. All of these leaves are from only one cluster. They look very similar to celery.

Though this plant is originated in China, they are also grown in other parts of the world like America and Europe.

Why Should You Eat Bok Choy Regularly?

Like the other green leafy vegetables, Bok Choy is also a powerhouse of nutrition.

It contains a rich amount of beta-carotene. It lowers the possibility of macular degeneration, cataract, and cancer too. The Macular Degeneration Association recommends eating Bok Choy daily. This vegetable contains more than the recommended amount of beta-carotene.

The main reason why I eat Bok Choy regularly is not the taste, but its nutrition and health benefits. You can eat them with raw salads too. Rather than raw salads, it also tastes superb with soup and stir-fry. You can use both the leaves and stalks to your soup.

It is reached with vitamins A, B6, C and K. Along with vitamins; it also contains a rich amount of minerals. This vegetable is a major source of potassium, manganese, magnesium, calcium, and iron.

Further, it also empowers our immune systems also. Improving the metabolism, taking good care of nerves and empowering our immune system are bonus benefits of bok choy.

The Harvard School of Public Health also recommends taking Bok Choy daily. It decreases the risks of ovarian and prostate cancer too.

Even the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund also suggests eating a non-starchy vegetable to stay safe from several types of cancer. According to their research, it keeps us safe from the mouth, through the stomach, esophagus, and lung cancer too.

 

What Should You Consider Before Buying Bok Choy?

Cutting is not the first step! Before cutting bok coy, you must have to collect it first. After cutting, you need to store it properly. And if you can do these processes properly, only then you can cut fresh and vibrant bok choy to feed your family and friends.

So, before cutting bok choy, let’s take a look at how to buy or store bok choy.

Bok choy is not a Chinese vegetable anymore. It spreads all over the world. You can easily grow them on your garden or backyard. Growing bok choy on your own is the best way to get the best bok choy for your cooking.

But what should you do if you don’t plan bok choy on your own? Well, you have to buy them from the market. There is no other option rather than that.

However, there is a huge possibility of not getting the best piece of vegetable if you don’t follow the required steps.

Step #1: Pick the brightest piece available in the shop.

Step #2: Check if there is any black or brown spot on the bottom. If you find any spot on the cereal, don’t buy that one.

Step #3: Now take a look at the leaves. Are they look fresh and vibrant? If so, you can buy it. But, if the leaves look dull or wilted, avoid that one.

That’s how you can pick the best out of the best bok choy from your local vegetable shop.

 

How to Store Your Bok Choy before Cutting?

You might not cook your bok choy right at the moment you buy it. So, now it’s time to store your vegetable properly.

To keep your bok choy nutritious and tasty, you should follow the follow these steps –

 

  1. Don’t wash your bok choy before storing. If you wash it, then the leaves will get more water than usual. As a result, your bok choy will get bland and wilted.
  2. Store your bok choy in a sealed bag. For the better result, you might use resealable vacuum plastic bags.
  3. Don’t seal the vacuum bag too tightly. It may break your vegetable.
  4. Push all of the air out gently rather than crushing the tender point.
  5. Try to store that plastic vacuum bag in the lower part of your fridge.

 

**Extra Tips:

  1. Store your bok choy in the fridge as soon as you purchased from the grocery store or picked them from your garden.
  2. Do not keep it in the fridge for more than four days. It will decrease the taste traditional of your favorite bok choy. Be aware of tips of your finger too!!

 

How to Cut Bok Choy Properly?

Brought and stored. What’s your next step? Yup, make your bok choy ready to cut is the next step.

Take that plastic vacuum bag out of the fridge first. But don’t wash it at that time. Wash your vegetable immediately before using the leaves. It will help to prevent wilting.

 

 

After washing the vegetable properly, it’s time to dry the leaves. You can also disjoint the leaves from the stem in this step. If there are too many leaves, you can dry them with a towel. Be careful while using the paper towel. Don’t crush the leaves.

Now your bok choy is ready to cut. You should manage a sharp knife before cutting. It will be better if you can manage a chopping board or any kind of hard surface to cut your bok choy.

 

The general process of cutting bok choy:

Hope that you have already dried those disjointed leaves. If so, now follow the following steps –

Step #1: Put the leaves on a chopping board. The wooden chopping board is preferable. But it also works great with metal or plastic boards.

Step #2: Place your knife gently on the leaves.

Step #3: If you want to divide the leaves into two parts, place the knife in the middle.

Step #4: Now it’s time to cut the leaves.

Step #5: Don’t try to cut too many leaves at a time. Few appropriate amounts of leaves according to your chopping board.

Step #6: Heap the smaller pieces on board after cutting.

Now your leaves are ready to use in any recipe.

 

How to Cut Bok Choy in Smaller Pieces?

Follow the previous process until step #2. And then follow the following steps.

 

 

Step #1: Place the knife along in the middle of the leaves. Make sure that you have aligned the leaves properly.

Step #2: Now cut the leaves gently. It will divide the leaves into two pieces.

Step #3: Place the divided leaves in another bucket or deep place.

Step #4: Repeat the Step #2 until you cut all of the leaves in two pieces.

Step #5: After that, took a few halve leaves again and place them on the chopping board.

Step #6: Now repeat the whole process again and again until you get your required shape.

Easy as pie!

 

How to Trim Bok Choy in the Smallest Portion?

In the previous section, I have informed you about the cutting process of bok choy into smaller portion. But that process is very time-consuming. Though it was perfect for the novice users, there is another time-saving procedure to cut bok choy.

Well, you can still use that procedure. There is no problem with that. But if you want to save your time, then you must follow the following procedure –

 

Step #1: Place all of your bok choy leaves on the chopping board. Make sure that all of them are facing the same direction.

 

Step #2: If your bok choy contains different sized leaves, categorize them first. Place same sized leaves in a group. You may also tie them loosely using a string. It will keep the leaves altogether.

Step #3: Place a group on the chopping board.

Step #4: Now place the knife at 45-degree angle. It is not mandatory that the angle must be tightly 45 degrees. But try to keep the knife not much more or less than 45 degrees.

Step #5: Now cut the leaves from the bottom point.

Step #6: Slice the full group using tips of your finger by following this situation.

Step #7: Now repeat the same process for the following groups too.

Step #8: Keep all of those smallest pieces of bok choy in the in a separate place. Otherwise, they might be stick together.

Step #9: You are all set now!

 

Extra Tips:
  1. While you cut those bok choy leaves, they will become too narrow to cut. Then cut through lengthwise to get the better result.
  2. The tender middle part is considered as the best part of bok choy. So, cut it properly.
  3. Bok choy needs very little time to cut. So, don’t be panicked to save time.
  4. Instead of using a bread knife, try to use a chef’s knife or utility knife.
  5. While selecting a bok choy, avoid the yellow looked one. Follow this rule strictly. Otherwise, you will end up with a rotten vegetable. Select the one with fresh-looking, crispy and dark green looked leaves.
  6. While cutting bok choy, keep an eye on the tips of your finger. If the knife slips on your finger, it may occur an accident.

 

 

Nutritional Value of Bok Choy:

 

Nutritional Element Amount
Calories 572
Unsaturated Fat 25 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Total Fat 60 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Carbohydrates 8 g
Protein 3 g
Sodium 695 mg
Dietary Fiber 2 g

 

**N.B.This nutrition information is based on four bunches of baby bok choy. This result may vary according to your recipe. **N.B

Conclusion:

Bok choy is a nutrition bomb. It contains some nutritional elements that are helpful to keep our body and mind fresh.

You have already learned that the cutting of bok choy isn’t that hard. So, I hope you will store this green leafy vegetable as much as you can for further use.

Give your belly some love.

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