Chinese cabbage is a cabbagelike vegetable with leaves ranging from green on the outside to white on the inside. The leaves are thin and delicate. Chinese cabbage has a mild flavor like that of lettuce. It is often eaten raw in salads. People also cook it in casseroles and many Asian dishes. Chinese cabbage has been grown by people in China since the A.D. 400’s.
Some types of Chinese cabbage, like Napa cabbage, form a head. Other types, like pak choi (also spelled bok choy) have loosely arranged leaves that do not form a head. These types have dark green leaves with a thick, white stalk.
Chinese cabbage grows best in cool weather. It can withstand light frost but requires rich, moist soil. The vegetable thrives as an autumn crop in eastern Asia and cooler areas of the United States.
