Juicy Chinese cabbage pak choy for real gourmets
The most ancient vegetable crop that came to Europe from China is the pak choy Chinese cabbage. It is also found in the national cuisine of Korea and Japan. The variety is quite unpretentious when growing, so many gardeners use this feature. There are several popular varieties of celery cabbage, as it is called in the Middle Kingdom. The dishes made from it are very healthy and extremely tasty.
Description and properties of pak-choy
Deciduous rosette culture:
- compact;
- erect (in height from 10 to 50 cm);
- slightly spreading (sometimes the diameter is up to 35-45 cm).
Despite all this, the petioles are densely gathered at the base and are voluminous fleshy bulges. The broad leaves are tender and crunchy. Due to contrasting or embossed veins, the plates form a light corrugated surface. Mustard cabbage tastes like leaves spinach... At the same time, it has a certain piquancy and an unusual aftertaste.
More than 20 varieties of Chinese deciduous cabbage can be divided into 2 groups. The first includes varieties with a light green color, and the second includes two-colored (white petioles and dark green leaves).
Chinese cabbage pak choy and its beneficial properties
In the countries of East Asia, this vegetable is widely used in folk medicine. Tibetan monks used it in the treatment of all kinds of inflammation, including cancerous tumors. For the healing of wounds, burns and ulcers, the guests of the Sikkim monastery used fresh sap of the leaves.
The composition of celery cabbage contains the following useful trace elements:
- iron;
- magnesium;
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- sodium.
It contains up to 80% of vitamins C and A. Low-molecular organic compounds help to renew the skin at the cellular level and slow down the aging process. Vitamin C restores the structure of the blood vessels, which ultimately become stronger and more elastic.
Useful components deserve special attention:
- beta carotene;
- cellulose;
- omega 3;
- essential amino acids lysine.
Pak-choi is a low-calorie product (13 kcal / 100 g), so it is ideal for diets. In addition, the vegetable contains a high percentage of calcium in such a form that the trace element is easily absorbed by the body.
Chinese cabbage pak choy is recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, as well as anemia. It is prescribed for pregnant women, because the culture is replete with folic acid. Moreover, a set of irreplaceable trace elements helps to increase immunity and eliminate toxins and toxins. Nevertheless, it is worth learning some secrets of how to cook pak choy in order to preserve all the beneficial properties of the vegetable.
Recipes with pak choi from the national cuisine of China
The basic law of cooking is the right combination of products. To achieve harmony in this, you need to correctly select the ingredients. When buying celery cabbage, you should pay attention to the quality of the leaves. They should be rich in color, crunchy, not flabby.The maximum length of the stems is no more than 15 cm.
When preparing pak choy cabbage, some nuances are taken into account:
- it is necessary to fry quickly to preserve all useful properties;
- prepare leaves and petioles separately (fleshy stems need more time);
- for grilling / roasting, only small specimens are used, which are distinguished by their tenderness and speed of cooking.
Several chopping options are accepted. Quarters and halves of a vegetable look original in the decor. Whole samples retain all the consistency of the product and add a special flavor to the dish. Some chop the leaves into strips that stand out in salads.
All pak choy Chinese cabbage recipes use fresh stalks and leaves. Therefore, an ancient technology is used to store the product - wrapping greens in a wet cloth (you can use a towel) and storing in a cool place.
Without forgetting the traditions of ancestors - pak-choy with duck
The national dish of Chinese cuisine is Peking duck... Only one restaurant in the PRC has preserved its recipe since the reign of the Sunn (10th century AD) and Yuan (13th century AD) dynasties. The secret lies in the special baking method and the extraordinary combination of spices. However, the owners carefully hide this secret. Therefore, each chef prepares pak choi with duck roasting at his own discretion. Su-Vid technology (under vacuum) is often used.
Since many do not have such a technique, then the usual cooking option will do.:
- divide the duck breast into portions;
- the skin is pierced with a fork in several places so as not to reach the fillet;
- rub thoroughly with the Chinese seasoning "5 spices";
- sent to marinate in wine or apple cider vinegar for 30 minutes.
Seasoning "Five Spices" consists of star anise, fennel seed, cloves, cassia cinnamon, and Sichuan pepper. Some people "collect" it themselves.
While the meat is in the marinade, prepare the dressing. To do this, mix honey and soy sauce (2 tablespoons each). Mix thoroughly and heat until the first bubbles appear. Next, take out the duck breast, seasoning the fillet with salt and pepper. Next, portioned pieces are fried in a large amount of oil until a golden crust appears. Chopped garlic (2 cloves) is fried in the same pan.
Pak-pai cabbage (250 g) is cut in different ways:
- stripes along the stem;
- divided in half;
- use solid sockets.
Then the vegetable is slightly sautéed or steamed. The dish is collected in the following sequence: a layer of honey-soy sauce is applied to a white plate. Spread fillet slices obliquely and sprinkle the meat with fried garlic.
The duck is decorated with cabbage leaves and edible flowers.
Pak-choi and ginger - an inseparable duet
Many people enjoy a quick-to-prepare stew of salad. Ginger and bok-poi are cut into large pieces diagonally. In a slightly preheated frying pan with olive oil (1 tablespoon), sauté ginger and garlic (chopped). Then add deciduous cabbage, pouring everything with soy sauce (2 tablespoons). Stew the ingredients over medium heat for about 5 minutes. At the end, salt and pepper.
A sign of readiness of petiole cabbage is soft and lethargic leaves, which lose their bright colors.
There is another recipe for fried pak choi salad with sesame oil and seeds.
The cooking technology is slightly different:
- petioles are separated and thinly cut;
- fry (3-4 minutes) in a little oil over high heat;
- then add large leaves, as well as chopped garlic;
- season with sugar / pepper;
- removed from heat and seasoned with sesame oil.
This dish is served hot with fried croutons. For piquancy, they are sprinkled with national Chinese spices. Plus, vegetables go well with grilled meats and mushrooms. It is recommended to decorate the dish with bright slices of bell pepper or chopped carrots. Be sure to crush everything with sesame seeds.
Seafood and bok choi - the gold standard of East Asian cuisine
A real extravaganza of tastes is obtained with a harmonious combination of shrimp and celery cabbage. First, heat a frying pan with olive oil. Finely chopped garlic and chili peppers are fried on it (1 min.).
Peeled shrimp are added. As soon as they acquire a pink tint, they are added to:
- bok choy cabbage (3 pcs.);
- soy sauce (2 tbsp. l.);
- Sweet chili dressing (30 g), which can be replaced with wine mixed with cornstarch;
- boiled egg noodles or Japanese udon and soba (200 g).
In some cases, fried mushrooms are also added. Mix the ingredients well. The dish is served hot. Of course, it is impossible to know exactly how long it will take to cook food. Therefore, the cook determines the readiness of the vegetables by their appearance. A similar situation is observed with proportions.
The spicy taste of bok-pai is in perfect harmony with salmon fried in a honey-spicy sauce. Steamed long-grain rice is served as a side dish.
Chinese cabbage pak choy goes well with poached egg. Basically, fresh or sauteed leaves are used for this dish. But these are just some of the options for preparing an ancient vegetable culture. Much depends on the imagination of the cook.