THE CHINESE CABBAGES - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 95

Varieties
The two types available in most catalogs are the michihli and napa types described
on page 86. Several varieties of each are available. Some are recommended for spring
crops (these may be described as “bolt resistant”), others for fall. All spring cabbages
can be sown for a fall harvest, but fall cabbages sown in the spring tend to bolt. For
winter storage, fall varieties are better.
Varieties to look for: Hybrid Super, Hybrid Hwa King WR60, Michihili.
CULINARY USES
Use Chinese cabbage any way you use ordinary cabbage. The flavor is more delicate
than cabbage. If you grow Chinese cabbage, you'll be delighted with its versatility and
will want to try all these different ways:
SALAD . It makes a truly delicious and unusual coleslaw: Shred it finely and toss with
ginger, soy sauce, Asian sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. The Chinese would add a
little sugar, but that's optional.
STIR-FRY . In stir-fried dishes, add as one of the last ingredients so the cooking time is
especially brief and its natural crispness is retained.
PICKLING . In Asia it is much favored for pickling, and the result is both similar to and
different from our sauerkraut.