Bok Choy or is it Bok Choi ?

Rosemary over at Blog Village mentioned I had not done an entry on bok choy, so here it is.

Bok choy, also known as Chinese mustard, celery mustard and pak choi, is a member of the Brassica family. It is a vegetable with long, crisp, white stems and dark green leaves.

It is very high in calcium, dietary fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, beta carotene and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. It also contains good amounts of vitamin B3 and zinc. On the down side it is very high in sodium. All in all a very nutritious vegetable.

You prepare and cook bok choy in a similar way to spinach. Prepare by washing well and cooking quickly in a pot, with just the water left on the leaves from washing, or by lightly steaming. Can be eaten raw in salads, added to stir fry or added to soup in the last few minutes of cooking. It combines well with soy sauce, ginger, hot peppers and sesame oil. Bok choy can be stored in the fridge in an unsealed plastic bag for 3 to 4 days.

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Bok Choy Salad
From dLife.com - For your Diabetes life
Submitted by: zacho531

1 medium head bok choy, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 3oz/85gm package ramen noodles
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tbsps sesame seeds, toasted
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tsps lemon juice

Combine bok choy and green onions; cover and refrigerate. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and ramen noodle seasoning packet. Chill. Break ramen noodles into small pieces; combine with toasted almonds and sesame seeds. Before serving, combine the cabbage mixture and noodle mixture. Add dressing and toss to coat. Consider adding a few dashes of soy sauce in the dressing for added Asian flavor.


Asian Mushroom and Bok Choy Soup
From the Vegetarian Times
To blanch bok choy greens, just plunge them into a pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse under cold water until cool.

1 tbsps tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 cup shredded bok choy greens, blanched
1/2 cup roughly chopped bok choy stems
8oz/227gm fresh shiitake mushrooms
3 scallions, trimmed
2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf

Remove stems from mushrooms; rinse and finely chop. Rinse mushroom caps and thinly slice; set aside 1 cup. In large pot, combine mushroom stems, remaining sliced mushrooms, scallions, garlic, bay leaf, bok choy stems, tamari, ginger, pepper flakes and salt. Add 6 cups cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer 45 minutes. Pour stock through strainer into clean pot or storage container; discard solids. In large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add reserved mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes. Divide sauteed mushrooms and bok choy greens among soup bowls. Ladle some broth on top of each and serve. 4 servings.


Stir-Fried Soy Steak With Bok Choy
From VegCooking
by Ocean Drive Fusion
Serve with steamed rice or on a bed of rice noodles with a shredded cabbage salad tossed in a ginger-soy vinaigrette.

1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp water
3 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil, divided
3 or 4 dried red chilies
2 thin slices ginger, 2" x 1", cut into matchsticks
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8oz/227gm vegetarian steak, cut into thin strips (try VEGE Steak)
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
1lb/450gm bok choy, sliced on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths
1/2 tsp sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, and water. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the chilies, ginger, garlic, "steak" strips, and rice wine. • Stir-fry, turning often with a slotted spoon, until the liquid evaporates, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil and heat over high heat. Add the bok choy and sugar and quickly stir-fry, just to coat in the oil, about 30 seconds. Cover and steam-cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on how crisp you want the bok choy. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook for a few seconds, until glossy. Makes 4 to 6 servings

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