Chinese cabbage belongs to the Brassica family, the same as cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower. It is a widely consumed vegetable in Asia, known for more than 1,500 years, although in Europe its consumption began to spread since the 1970s. Currently its cultivation is spreading to all continents.
There are various varieties of Chinese cabbage adapted to different times of the year, so they are always available. Two types of Chinese cabbages are mainly consumed. One is the ‘pe-tsai’ type, which forms an elongated head similar to a lettuce, while the ‘pak-choi’ type produces loose, chard-like leaves.
They can be consumed both raw and cooked. Raw, mainly in salads, and if you cook them, they combine very well in soups, meat stews and stews. Its large leaves, similar to those of a chard, are particularly used in traditional Chinese cuisine. The edible part is the leaves, although there are variations in traditional food and in the preparation of certain culinary products, such as some pickles in which part of the stem of this vegetable, previously chopped and cooked, can be included.
Chinese cabbage is full of benefits for our body, it provides us with vitamins and minerals, it contains few calories and a lot of fiber, so it is very suitable for weight loss diets.
