Recipes to Fall in Love With Bok Choy (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat bok choy? ›

Bok choy, a Chinese cabbage, is tender, sweet, and stands up well to heat — making it perfect for stir-frying. Cook it simply with garlic, black bean sauce, or shiitake mushrooms for a delicious side dish, or incorporate it into a frittata or bowl of ramen for a more substantial bite.

A meta-analysis and review of research in the journal Food Chemistry found that eating 100 grams of cruciferous vegetables, such as bok choy, every day was associated with a 10% reduction in the risk of death from any cause. (100 grams of cooked bok choy is a little more than a half-cup.)

Traditional bok choy has dark, crinkly leaves and crisp, white stems; Shanghai bok choy has spoon-shaped leaves and jade green stems. The cool thing is that both the leaves and the stalks can be eaten, and this wonderful little plant is an excellent go-to for fiber, as well as for beta-carotene and vitamins C, K and A.

The vegetable is also high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, all of which help to reduce your blood pressure naturally. Some studies show that eating sufficient potassium can help to lower sodium-induced high blood pressure.

Bok choy stalks are crisp and have a mild flavor whereas the crinkly leaves are tender after they are cooked a little bit. How do you cut bok choy for stir-fry? Slice the bok choy in half or quarter lengthwise for stir-fry. If using a large bok choy, dice it into bite sizes first.

In equivalent raw weight, bok choy contains more vitamin C, vitamin A, and some other nutrients than spinach and around the same amount of calcium. Spinach, however, contains higher amounts of some other nutrients, including vitamin K, than bok choy.

Bok choy also contains a fair bit of fiber, which accounts for about two-thirds of the carbs in the veggie. We all know fiber can help you poop more easily (and that's reason enough to make sure you're getting plenty), but it's got 💩-loads of other benefits too.

Not only is bok choy low calorie but it is also fiber and water rich, making it very filling. Eating foods such as bok choy may deter you from eating nutrient-void, calorie heavy processed foods. If you feel full and nourished, the less likely you will be to reach for those potato chips or cookies.

Bok choy grows directly out of the soil. Bok choy season in Wisconsin is June through October. Look for perky, green leaves without yellow or brown spots. Bok choy is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants which help protect the body from cancer and disease.

Bok choy can be refrigerated for 3 to 7 days. Place the unwashed bok choy in a breathable plastic bag in the crisper. If you need to store the bok choy for a longer period of time, you can boil it in water for 2 minutes and then rinse with cold water and place the bok choy in the freezer.

What are the tiny holes in bok choy? ›

Holes in bok choi indicated a chewing pest. Close examination of the bok choi plants revealed small beetle larvae hiding down at the base of the leaves in the crown of the plant. These are the larvae of the vegetable weevil, a beetle that feeds on numerous vegetable crops as well as weeds.

Make at least one of your daily vegetable servings a dark leafy green like arugula, cabbage, kale or spinach for potentially greater blood pressure benefits. A serving of leafy greens is 1 cup of raw greens or ½ cup cooked greens.

The peak period of bok choy supply has not yet arrived. That is why the price of bok choy is likely to remain high for another two weeks. When the market supply volume grows, then the price will come down again."

Bok choy offers many health benefits through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It may support cardiovascular and bone health while potentially reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.

Raw bok choy, like all cruciferous vegetables, contains an enzyme called myrosinase. Myrosinase can hinder thyroid function by preventing the body from absorbing iodine. Cooking deactivates it.

Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they're being used for a salad, it's good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.

The best way to eat bok choy is to lightly steam or stir-fry it to retain its crisp texture. Overcooking makes it mushy. Bok choy has a delicious, mild flavor that pairs well with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chiles, or Whole30 peanut sauce.

The stalks of bok choy are prone to grit, much like leeks, so be sure to clean bok choy thoroughly before cooking. The simplest way to prep bok choy is to cut it in half lengthwise and submerge it in cold water for a few minutes. This will soften the dirt and allow you to remove it easily.