Difference between Asian Green Vegetables

Here at Wiffens, we often have customers expressing confusion over the different varieties of Chinese green vegetables. There are a large array of Asian greens - all of which are delicious in their own rights. It are not only super nutritious, but also great for a variety of things - from stir frys to soups to the traditional Chinese bun.  

The most common types are - bok choy, pak choy or baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli, choy sum and gai laan. They can all be steamed, boiled, or braised and are great with any meats or oyster sauce along with garlic and ginger for the extra touch.

Most Chinese greens are available all year round. However, they are best eaten during the cooler months such as winter and autumn.

When it comes to Pak Choy, it is unfortunately sold as bok choy in many greengrocers. In fact, Pak Choy is actually baby bok choy. It is characterised as a small and loose leaf vegetable with light green stalks. We recommend removing bottom of stalks and washing the vegetable thoroughly before cooking. They are great stir fried or steam.

Choy Sum is the most commonly used one when it comes to Asian greens. It is often sold in bunches and its characterised by its smooth bright green stems and elongated leaves. For some, there are clusters of edible yellow flowers as well. You can blanched but they are also great stir fried. Cook briefly to wilt leaves but try keep the stems firm but tender.

Bok Choy is the adult version of  pak choy. It features white stems and pale green leaves. Just like Pak Choy, you have to wash it carefully to remove dirt and grit from leaves before cooking.