Ingredients
Napa cabbage
Other Names: Celery cabbage, Chinese cabbage, hakusai, Peking cabbage, pe-tsai, Tientsin cabbage, wong bok.
General Description: Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa, Pekinensis group) is a Chinese cabbage with an oblong head and tightly packed pale green to white crinkled leaves. A close cousin to bok choy, this cabbage has crinkly, thickly veined fibrous leaves, which is why it is called “celery cabbage.” Napa is mild and sweet, like a cross between cabbage, iceberg lettuce, and celery. A versatile cabbage, it can be eaten raw or cooked and is used in stir-fry and soups. The leaves are cream colored with celadon green tips. Unlike the strong-flavored waxy leaves on round heads of cabbage, these are thin, crisp, and delicately mild. In Korea, it is fermented with salt and chiles to make the hot and spicy relish kimchi.
Season: Napa cabbage is available year-round.
Purchase: Look for a compact head with tightly closed, crisp, green-tipped, moist leaves.
Avoid: Steer clear of heads with wilted, yellowed, or brown leaves.
Storage: Refrigerate napa cabbage in a plastic bag, as it readily absorbs nearby odors. Keep away from ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples. Napa will keep for 1 week or more.
Preparation:
- Cut out the core.
- Wash the leaves under running water.
- If the leaves look wilted, soak in cool water to crisp.
- Remove from the water and shake dry.
Serving Suggestions: Sauté garlic and ginger in hot oil, then add sliced napa and sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drop shredded napa into soup during the final 3 minutes of cooking. Slice napa and steam 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Shred raw cabbage for an Asian seasoned coleslaw. Use whole leaves to cover the bottom of a bamboo steamer basket.
Flavor Affinities: Chicken, coleslaw, duck, fish, garlic, ginger, pork, rice wine, seafood, sesame oil, soup.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
