Napa Cabbage
Information from wiseGeek: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-napa-cabbage.html
Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa pekinensis) is a member of the cabbage family that originated in China. Napa cabbage has been grown in China since around the fifteenth century, and is an extremely popular vegetable in China today, partly due to its versatility.
Napa cabbage has also been cultivated In Korea for centuries, and it is pickled, salted, and flavored with ginger and chili peppers to make kim chi, the national dish of Korea. Napa cabbage was introduced to North America from China toward the latter part of the nineteenth century. Today, it is cultivated in countries all over the world. Other names are Chinese cabbage, celery cabbage, hakusai; wong bok; and Peking cabbage.
Napa cabbage grows in a compact, elongated head; the crinkled oblong leaves are wrapped tightly in an upright cylinder. The leaves of this cabbage are light green, and the stalk area below the leaves is lighter still, a pale green approaching white.
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The flavor of Napa cabbage is milder and a bit sweeter than regular green cabbage. It is delicious raw or cooked, and can be substituted for regular cabbage in most recipes.
To prepare Napa cabbage, using a sharp knife, cut the head lengthwise in half. Cut out and discard the core at the bottom center. Separate the leaves and wash them individually under cool running water to remove any dirt or small insects. Spin dry or pat with paper towels to remove water. Or, if not using the entire Napa cabbage, one can peel off the leaves one at a time and wash them individually. In this manner, the cabbage will stay fresh longer.
A 1/4-cup (100 g) portion of shredded raw Napa cabbage contains less than 20 calories and has no fat or cholesterol and almost no sodium. It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, calcium, potassium, and manganese. Cabbages in general are thought to have compounds that may play a role in inhibiting certain forms of cancer development.
Asian-Style
Cole Slaw
½ cup shredded carrots ¼ cup sliced green onions toasted slivered almonds 1 tablespoon sesame oil ¼ cup salad oil 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Combine the shredded Napa cabbage, shredded carrots, and sliced green onions in a bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, salad oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and soy sauce. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and garnich with toasted slivered almonds.
Recipe Ideas Add sliced or chopped Napa cabbage to your stir-fry or vegetable soup!
Briefly blanch whole Napa cabbage leaves and stuff them.
Wrap fish in whole Napa cabbage leaves before steaming.
Cut out the crispy stems from the leaves and use them in place of celery for a crunchy snack.
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Newsletter written by John Cooper and Alice Hershiser.