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Pak Choi

Pak choi is sweeter than most cabbage so great for kids! It is quick to cook, soft and sweet to eat, and packed full of goodness, not to mention affordable and versatile. Cook it quick to treat it best, but remember that the stems cook slower than the leaves, so separate them and slice the stems, adding them to the pan before the leaves for a couple of minutes. Stir fry, barely braise or steam, or add at the last minute to soups or one-pot stews and casseroles. They are even delicious simply halved and roasted or braised in halves for a little longer (they look beautiful and are perfect tossed in soy sauce over rice).
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Known as “pak choi”, “bok choy” or a type of Chinese cabbage, this cabbage green is lighter, fresher and sweeter than many leafy greens.

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Nutrition

Pak choi like other leafy greens is a great source of vitamin C and other antioxidants like zinc and beta-carotene which help to repair cell damage in our bodies.

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Shopping Guide

Look for a vibrant green colour with firm stalks that are unblemished.

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Storage

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days to a week.

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Preparation

Cook it briefly to treat it best, but remember that the stems cook slower than the leaves, so separate them and slice the stems, adding them to the pan before the leaves for a couple of minutes. They are even delicious halved and roasted tossed in soy sauce over rice.

Kids in the Kitchen

For a younger child, why not get them to wash the pak choi by separating out the leaves and giving them a good wash and dry. If they want to do more, can they help tear the leaves?

For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to practise some essential knife skills using the claw grip to separate the leaves and stems, then slice the stems thinly and roughly chop the leaves.

Find more ideas for involving kids in the kitchen here.

Sensory

Try exploring a whole pak choi and then breaking off individual leaves. What does it look like? How does it feel? Does it remind you of anything? Does it have a smell? Try biting through the leaves and stems separately, or snapping them by your ear if not up to trying them, and see if the leaves or stems sound crunchier.

Find more sensory ideas, tips and videos here. If you get stuck and need a little help with describing words, we have a selection for you here, too!

Serving

Next time you make a meal that includes pak choi, why not ask your child to help you with one small step in the preparation of it (maybe washing it carefully and separating the leaves), then see if they want to help you serve it as “their” meal. Perhaps they could help lay the table and even create a fun centrepiece, maybe with all green and/or white objects to reflect the pak choi’s colours?

Find the best ways of involving your own child and their skills and interests on our Roles for Kids page.

Activities

Why not try making an edible sea scene on a plate or tray using pak choi for seaweed and other veggies for fish, crabs, sand or waves? Or try drawing a close up pak choi by observing it under a magnifying glass to get the white veins, lines and leaves just right!

Kids more into science? Explore pak choi by investigating the leaves, veins, stems and colours of them with a magnifying glass. 

You can find more at-home science fun with veg with our videos from Stefan Gates’ here.

Find loads more free veg-themed crafts here and games here.

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Seasonality

Buying veg in season is not only great for the planet, it can be good for your wallet, too! Pak choi is available year-round, so feel free to add it to your basket often.

At Its Best:

January - December

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Your Food

Pak choi is one of the leafy greens that is least bitter and often more likely to be enjoyed by kids! Bring out the sweetness by cooking low and slow in a little butter or oil and soy sauce or lemon juice (cook them stems first, then add leaves at the last minute), throw them sliced into a stir fry for the last couple of mins, or try adding them to some family favourite dishes…

Recipe Inspiration

Sausage and Mash

Effort: 1
Complexity: 1
Cost: 1

Family Favourites

Roast

Effort: 1
Complexity: 1
Cost: 1

Family Favourites

Stir Fry

Effort: 1
Complexity: 1
Cost: 1

Family Favourites

5 Simple Salad Dressings

Effort: 1
Complexity: 1
Cost: 2

Claire Wright

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If You Like Pak Choi…Try

Does your child enjoy pak choi? That’s great! Pak choi is usually crunchy (stems) and soft (leaves) and a little bit bitter (leaves) and a little bit sweet (stems) so why not try a similar texture and/or taste…

The Wonderful World of Veg

Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…

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