Grandma's Garden - Pak Choi

Pak Choi (also known as bok choi or Peking cabbage) is a Chinese cabbage.

It's commonly used in stir fry and spring rolls.

Choose bok choi that has firm stalks and fresh-looking leaves. As they deteriorate, the stalks go slimy and the leaves go limp, so watch out for these signs.

Keep in the fridge for up to a week - less if possible. Don't wash before storing or it will go slimy.

Separate the leaves and wash well.

The green leaf is often cooked separately to the much thicker, paler stalk.

In a stir fry, cut off the stalks and slice. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the leaves for 2 minutes. 

The inner leaves are more tender and work well, raw, in salads. The tougher, outer leaves taste better cooked. 

Use in stir fries, chopped in salads, braised, roasted or add to a soup for the last few minutes of cooking.

For a quick recipe, chop the pak choi and steam for 3-4 minutes. Serve with soy sauce. 



Quick Idea 
The leaves taste great in salads - just shred them. Keep the stalks for use in stocks or other recipes.

Did you know...?
1 cup of cooked pak choi contains 15% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium - the equivalent of 1/4 pint of full fat milk.

Chicken, Mushroom and Pak Choy Stir-fry
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 medium Red Onion, thickly sliced
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, finely chopped, peeled
6 pastured Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced across the grain
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 bunch Pak Choy, quartered vertically
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 cup Fresh Bean Shoots
2 Green Onions, thinly sliced diagonally
Sesame Seeds

Directions:

1. Place a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add oil and when hot after 1 min, add onion and cook for 1 min. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 min, until fragrant. Add chicken and cook for 2 mins, stirring constantly, or until just golden brown.
2. Add mushrooms and cook for 1-2 mins, tossing well, then add pak choy, separating the leaves, and cook for 1 min, or until just wilted.
3. Add soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and oyster sauce and toss to coat ingredients well. Toss in bean shoots.
4. Serve rice on a plate or in bowls and top with stir-fry. Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.