Bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage. There are two species of Chinese cabbage: the Chinensis and the Pekinensis. Bok choy is a member of the Chinensis family. Chinensis varieties do not form heads, rather they grow leafy blades much like celery and mustard. Other names for bok choy include pak choy and joy choy.

Bok choy has flared jungle green leafy blades with thick translucent and succulent white stalks that join at a common base above the root. Though the plant is entirely edible, the leaves are the most tender and mild part of the plant. The stalks are firm and succulent with notable cabbage nuances and sweet undertones.

Serving Ideas

Although bok choy is grown in Europe and America it is primarily confined to Asian cuisines, specifically Chinese. It is often used as a replacement for Napa cabbage. Bok choy is actually more delicate in cooking than in appearance. It can be added to soups, sautéed, steamed and eaten raw. As an all-purpose vegetable, it can add a warm, brothy and umami-like note to savory recipes. Complimentary pairings include garlic, ginger, mushrooms, soy sauce, tofu, pork, white fish, noodles, grains, chicken broth, light bodied vinegars, citrus, ginger and chiles.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

In Singapore, where farm land is limited and population density is at maximum capacity, vertical farming is becoming the benchmark for sustainable, efficient commercial vegetable cultivation and food security. Bok choy is Singapore’s vertical farming vegetable of choice where it is stacked and grown in 30-foot high automated towers. Nearly a 1/2 ton of bok choy is harvested from the towers annually.

Geography/History

Bok choy is native to China, originally confined to the Yangtze River Delta, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Its name is derived from the Chinese name for soup spoon because of the shape of its leaves. Bok choy found its way via trade routes to Korea in the 14th century during the Joseon Dynasty where it would become a key ingredient in kimchi. Although bok choy will be first and foremost associated with Chinese cuisine, as the result of the massive Chinese diaspora of the 19th century, it is now inherently embedded in cuisines throughout the Americas, especially within Central America and the Caribbean islands of Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica and Cuba.

Seasons/Availability

Bok choy is available year round.