Bok Choy

By Sonia R. Martinez

Bok choy (Chinese cabbage or pak choi as it is sometimes called) is one of those veggies we are able to find year-round in most of our island farmers markets. Brassica chinensis, the scientific name of this member of the cruciferous or cabbage family, is common in Asian cuisine and is one of the most nutrient-dense greens.

With high levels of Vitamins A, C, and K, bok choy also contains folate, calcium, antioxidants, and other cancer preventing compounds. The human body can absorb 54% of the calcium in bok choy—much more than spinach, milk, or any other calcium-rich foods, especially when chopped before cooking. Leaves and stalks can be eaten raw in salads, braised, stir-fried, or added to the soup or stew pot.

Some members of the choy or choi family can vary in size and shape of leaves. The ones I prefer look like an overblown rose. When shopping, look for fresh, crispy leaves, and don’t wash until ready to use. Be sure to separate the stalks when washing as sand or soil tends to cling to the inside. Any unused parts can be kept in the refrigerator crisper drawer four to six days.

They are easily grown in the garden or in large pots or containers, taking about two months from planting to harvesting. They prefer a milder climate, and we have better luck when planting in September and October for November, December, and even through January harvesting.

When I first started experimenting with bok choy, I prepared it raw, as a simple slaw, using carrot flakings (flake carrot off with a sharp vegetable peeler), and dressing with a soy, mirin, and mustard vinaigrette.

Soon after participating as a judge in one of the Big Island Beekeepers Association (BIBA) Honey Challenges, a friend gave me a couple of large bok choy as part of an edible plant trade we made. When I started wondering how I was going to cook it, oranges and honey kept popping into my mind. I created the following recipe incorporating all three.

The following dish has several steps. It’s easy and there is no fat added.

Braised Baby Bok Choy with Orange-Honey Glaze

For the Bok Choy:
1-1/2 pounds baby bok choy, washed well
About 1 inch water in a 12-inch stainless skillet
Bowl of water with ice cubes in it

Trim the ends of the bok choy and cut in chunks or chiffonade*, however you prefer. Bring the water to simmer, add the bok choy, and cook in the simmering water three to five minutes, or just until tender with the stalk parts still crispy.

Remove the cooked greens from the skillet and immediately plunge into the bowl of ice water to cool completely and preserve the green color. Drain very well once cooled.

Orange-Honey Glaze

2 ripe oranges

With a microplane or small-hole grater, grate rind from one orange. Cut and juice the orange after grating rind, removing seeds. Slice the other orange in less than 1/4 inch slices with rinds on—reserve.

1/4 cup honey
Juice from one orange
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard (I prefer the rough mustard)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix the above ingredients and pour into a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced by two-thirds and slightly syrupy.

Place the reserved bok choy, orange slices and the glaze back in the skillet making sure the greens and orange slices are well coated with the glaze. Braise for a few minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings

*A chiffonade of greens is any greens cut into thin ribbons. To make a chiffonade, take a handful of green leaves such as basil, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc., and loosely wad them up in your hand over a cutting board. With a very sharp knife and making rocking motions, cut across the wad of greens to make thin slices to form the ribbons.

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Contact writer Sonia R. Martinez: cubanwahine@hawaii.rr.com

Photos by Sonia R. Martinez