bok choy
Also known as: pak choi
A Chinese cabbage with crisp white or pale green stalks and tender dark green leaves -- functionally two vegetables in one, since the stalks and leaves cook at very different rates. Common in stir-fries and Asian-style soups, added toward the end so it wilts and softens without turning mushy.
Buying guidance
Look for firm, unblemished stalks and leaves without yellowing or slimy spots. Regular bok choy and the smaller "baby bok choy" are interchangeable, just adjust cooking time for the smaller size.
Substitutions
- Napa cabbage -- milder and more delicate, a common substitute in soups and stir-fries.
- Swiss chard -- similar stalk-and-leaf structure, though the flavor is more mineral and less mild.
- Regular cabbage -- a rougher substitute, missing bok choy's tenderness, but usable in a pinch.
Tips & common mistakes
Adding the stalks and leaves to a pot at the same time cooks the delicate leaves to mush long before the crunchier stalks are tender -- add the stalks first and the leaves only in the last couple of minutes.
Storage
Keeps for about a week refrigerated, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag -- the leaves wilt faster than the stalks, so use it sooner rather than later for the best texture.