Bok choy has a celery-like stalk with spinach-like leaves. This Asian cabbage is commonly used in soups and stir fries. The flavor is mellower than the Asian Greens mix. It comes in large and baby varieties which are actually different plants, not a single type of plant picked at different stages.
Estimated Picking Dates: early July
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash bok choy before use, but NOT before storage unless plants are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water or swish in a bath of cold water immediately before use. Focus on washing base of plant where dirt likes to collect. Let drip dry in colander if you plan to stir fry or spin in a salad spinner to dry well enough for dressing to stick if you are making a cold salad. If your bok choy wilts (which is common is picked on a very hot day or stored too long in the fridge), follow the salad greens washing method to revitalize. (Fill sink or large bowl with very cold or ice water. Swish and soak greens for a few minutes to let dirt float to the bottom. Soak in very cold water for 20-30 minutes. Lift clean greens off the top of the water leaving the dirt behind. Repeat if very dirty. Shake off extra water or spin until very dry. Refrigerate in a sealed container to continue re-crisping.)
If you want to make sure your greens are sanitized use the following procedure: Leafy Green Wash
1 cup distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1-2 t. salt (optional) - enhances anti-bacterial properties
Mix the water and vinegar together in a bowl. Allow your greens to soak in the bowl for about 2 minutes, then rinse them well. Proceed with standard drying (spin or shake and roll in towel)
Storage: Lightly sealed plastic bag (grocery bag with handles tied closed) stored in the refrigerator. Put a clothe (paper towel, tea towel, kitchen towel, T-shirt) in the bag, preferably on the bottom, to absorb excess moisture to prevent greens from becoming slimy and maintain humidity in the container/bag to prevent wilting. Refrigerated bok choy should last about a week.
Preparing: The entire plant is used (leaves and stalks) for most recipes. Lay on large cutting board and slice the entire bunch at once with a chef's knife working towards the core end. Discard the end as you would a end from celery. A few stalks can be removed like you would use celery if you do not need a whole head for your recipe.
Featured Recipe: Rhonda's Chow Mein
Other common uses: Fresh salad, coleslaw, spring rolls, and any recipe with cabbage that you want to experiment with making with an Asian flare. Stir fries, chow mien, soup, frittata, quiche, etc.
Substitutes: You can interchanged bok choy in a recipe with Asian greens, pak choy, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, escarole, endive, collard greens, and kale. Asian greens, spinach, escarole, and endive has a shorter cook time than bok choy.
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash bok choy before use, but NOT before storage unless plants are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water or swish in a bath of cold water immediately before use. Focus on washing base of plant where dirt likes to collect. Let drip dry in colander if you plan to stir fry or spin in a salad spinner to dry well enough for dressing to stick if you are making a cold salad. If your bok choy wilts (which is common is picked on a very hot day or stored too long in the fridge), follow the salad greens washing method to revitalize. (Fill sink or large bowl with very cold or ice water. Swish and soak greens for a few minutes to let dirt float to the bottom. Soak in very cold water for 20-30 minutes. Lift clean greens off the top of the water leaving the dirt behind. Repeat if very dirty. Shake off extra water or spin until very dry. Refrigerate in a sealed container to continue re-crisping.)
If you want to make sure your greens are sanitized use the following procedure: Leafy Green Wash
1 cup distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1-2 t. salt (optional) - enhances anti-bacterial properties
Mix the water and vinegar together in a bowl. Allow your greens to soak in the bowl for about 2 minutes, then rinse them well. Proceed with standard drying (spin or shake and roll in towel)
Storage: Lightly sealed plastic bag (grocery bag with handles tied closed) stored in the refrigerator. Put a clothe (paper towel, tea towel, kitchen towel, T-shirt) in the bag, preferably on the bottom, to absorb excess moisture to prevent greens from becoming slimy and maintain humidity in the container/bag to prevent wilting. Refrigerated bok choy should last about a week.
Preparing: The entire plant is used (leaves and stalks) for most recipes. Lay on large cutting board and slice the entire bunch at once with a chef's knife working towards the core end. Discard the end as you would a end from celery. A few stalks can be removed like you would use celery if you do not need a whole head for your recipe.
Featured Recipe: Rhonda's Chow Mein
Other common uses: Fresh salad, coleslaw, spring rolls, and any recipe with cabbage that you want to experiment with making with an Asian flare. Stir fries, chow mien, soup, frittata, quiche, etc.
Substitutes: You can interchanged bok choy in a recipe with Asian greens, pak choy, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, escarole, endive, collard greens, and kale. Asian greens, spinach, escarole, and endive has a shorter cook time than bok choy.