Bok choy is a vegetable from the cabbage family that has a bright green color with a crunchy, fresh, and light taste. This vegetable contains many vitamins and nutrients, and has a nice texture and smooth taste. Bok choy is widely used in Asian cuisine, but you can also add it to salads, soups, stir-fries, and so on. Both leaves and stems can be consumed.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Selecting and Washing Bok Choy
Step 1. Choose bok choy which has bright green leaves with crispy stems
Look for vegetables with bright green (not brown or yellow) leaves and crisp white stems with no holes or discoloration. Do not choose bok choy stems that are chewy or dry. Crispy stems are the best choice!
- Bok choy (also known as pak choi) comes in many varieties with different sizes, flavors, and colors.
- The broad-leaved varieties are usually great for soups and salads, while the thin, small-leaved ones are perfect for stir-fries.
Step 2. Buy baby bok choy for a milder taste
Baby bok choy is a small bok choy that is harvested earlier than adult bok choy. The stems are usually thicker with small leaves. It tastes similar to regular bok choy, but is usually softer and more tender.
The appearance of baby bok choy is also interesting because it can be cooked whole without having to cut the leaves
Step 3. Put the bok choy in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
Put the bok choy in a plastic bag. After that, remove the air in the plastic by pressing the bok choy. Next, close the end of the plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Step 4. Cut and remove the thick base of the stem
Use a sharp knife to cut 1 to 3 centimeters at the base of the stem where the leaves attach. Pick and remove the outer leaves that are discolored and hard-textured. You will leave some long stalks of bok choy.
Step 5. Wash the bok choy stems with cold water in a bowl
Separate each leaf stalk from the bunch and wash it in a large bowl filled with cold water. Remove dirt by gently rubbing the leaves. Place the bok choy in a colander to remove any water.
- Alternatively, you can wash each stick of bok choy under running water over the sink.
- Dirt usually collects at the bottom of the stem. So, pay special attention to that part.
Method 2 of 4: Cutting Bok Choy
Step 1. Stack all the bok choy and cut off the white stems
After everything is washed, place the bok choy on a cutting board. After that, stack the vegetables and separate the white stems from the green leaves by cutting them with a knife.
Separating the stems from the leaves is very useful because the leaves and stems cannot ripen at the same time. The stems mature longer than the leaves
Step 2. Hold the bok choy so it doesn't slide around with your claw-like fingers
Use your fingertips bent inward to grip the bok choy, touching your ring knuckle and middle finger against the blade. This grip will protect your fingers.
Step 3. Hold the knife at a 45 degree angle to the stem of the bok choy
Don't cut the stem by slicing the knife straight down, but hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to cut the stem at an angle. Cutting at an angle like this serves to increase the surface area of each cut so that the bok choy can cook faster.
Step 4. Slice the bok choy into several pieces about 3 cm long
Cut the stems about 3 cm long from the base to the top. Slowly move the hand gripping the bok choy away from the knife as you cut through the stem. Repeat this process on the leaves.
Make thinner cuts if you want to make a stir fry
Method 3 of 4: Cutting Bok Choy Into Rectangles
Step 1. Slice the bok choy stem in the middle until it splits in half
Make a long cut in the center of the white stem to split it into two halves. Place these split stems on a cutting board.
- If you want to make thinner slices, cut the bok choy into 3 parts.
- This rectangular cut is perfect if you want to sauté it with meat or other vegetables.
Step 2. Separate the white stems and green leaves
Cut the green part of the leaf so that it leaves a thick white stem. It's okay to have a few leaves still attached to the stem, but try to remove as much of the leaf as possible.
Step 3. Slice the bok choy stems into rectangular pieces about 3 cm in size
Slice horizontally to divide the stem into rectangular pieces. This piece will be a bit thick.
Method 4 of 4: Cutting Bok Choy in Dice
Step 1. Cut the bok choy leaves
Take the bok choy and cut the leaves that are at the top. You will have a white part of the stem.
Diced bok choy is perfect for adding to salads and soups
Step 2. Split the stem vertically into 3 long strips
Use a large knife to cut the stems of the bok choy in one gentle motion. Try to split them the same width.
Step 3. Slice the bok choy horizontally into small cubes about 1.5 cm in size
Grasp the stem pieces with your non-dominant hand, then carefully slice starting at the stem end to make several smaller pieces. A 1.5 cm cut is ideal, but you can make it smaller if you want.
Tips
Cut the bok choy into small pieces if you want to sauté it. This will speed up cooking time and prevent overcooking
Warning
- Cut the bok choy slowly and carefully until you get used to it. After that, you can cut it faster.
- Cut the bok choy with a sharp kitchen knife. Dull blades tend to slip and could injure you.
