Stir fried bak choi

Unlike some other vegetables, pak choi is easy to combine with any other ingredients for variety and taste. However, I find that it is best combined with black fungus (wan yee). It is also delicious steamed.

 Baby pak choi (小白菜) means small white vegetable in Cantonese. The white stem (from which it gets its name) is crunchy and sweet whilst the dark leaves are soft and slightly bitter.  It may be added to stir fries or noodles or simply eaten on its own as a vegetable dish. Pak choi has a similar nutritional profile to other cabbages, including a rich content of vitamin C and a considerable amount of fibre and nitrogen which appear to lower the risk of various forms of cancer. It is also a good source of folate and beta-carotene. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine to quench thirst, relieve constipation, promote digestive health, and treat diabetes.

This is a green variety of pak choi which differs only in colour and may be used interchangeably with the more common pak choi. In general the green pak choi are usually sold when they are younger and more tender.

Ingredients

1 packet pak choi

1 carrot

6 pieces black fungus (wan yee)

Put the black fungus in enough water to cover it

Soak until it has fully expanded

Break the black fungus into small pieces

Cut the vegetables

Heat some oil in the wok and fry some chopped garlic with salt until fragrant

Add the carrot as it takes slightly longer to cook

Add a little sesame oil and put in the black fungus

Season with a dash of pepper

Put in the pak choi and mix thoroughly

Dish up and serve