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ASIAN GREENS: bok choi (pac choi), tatsoi, mizuna
Many of the asian greens in the mustard family are very similar. These include, bok choi, pac choi, tatsoi, mizuna, and others. They
tend to be very similar in taste, but they all look a little different. These greens are generally not as spicy
as other mustard greens, but they share a distinctive pungent and complex flavor. Some have have large crunchy stalks and others
are mostly green leaf with smaller stems.
Despite their differnces, the asian greens can all be used pretty much the same. When they are young, I often add them to salad mix, and mizuna is almost exclusively used this way. Others form heads as they get bigger and I cut and bunch whole plants for you to use in your cooking. Sometimes they might be bolting a little bit when I give them to you, but this does not usually effect the flavor much--which is one of the nice features of these plants. If this is the case, just remove the leaves from the central stalk before using them. My favorite thing to do with asian greens is to add them to stir fries. If they have large broad stalks, cut the green leafy part off the stalk and set aside (if the stalks are rather small, just skip this step). Dice the stalk to the desired size and add early on in cooking your stir fry (i.e. when you add the onions or peppers). Add the green leafy part at the very end and cook just enough to wilt them. Many people also steam or sautee them and serve them as a side dish (like people do with swiss chard). They are also a favorite for "warm" salads (see recipe below). FAVORITE RECIPES: Wilted Asian Greens 1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned) 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil ~4 oz cups tatsoi ~4 oz cups mizuna Mizuna and tatsoi are best for this, but bok choi, pac choi and even swiss chard are great too as long as you remove think portions of the stem. Heat vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved (do not let boil). Pour hot dressing over greens in a large bowl and toss well. Serve immediately. Try sprinkling with sunflower seeds, or toasted pumpkin or sesame seeds for additional fun. You can also try replacing the seasame oil with walnut oil or another aromatic oil. Asian fried rice 1-2 eggs 1 small onion, diced (or green onions, chives, or garlic scapes) 3-4 cups rice, already cooked 1 small bunch of asian greens or chard (~4-6 oz) soy sauce dash of sesame oil Cook the egg in a lightly oiled pan and scramble it while it cooks so that it turns into little egg "crumbles." Remove the egg from the pan and set aside. Sautee the onion (or garlic scapes) and any diced stalks from the greens in a little more oil for a couple minutes on high heat (if you are using green onions or chives, add them at the very end when you add the sesame oil). Add the leftover rice and reduce the heat to medium. Once the rice is heated through add soy sauce to taste (1-2 tablespoons?). Cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the asian greens, sesame oil and egg crumbles, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Serve hot. |