General Information:
Bok Choy is also known as pak choi or spoon cabbage. In most common types—white-stemmed, green-stemmed, and “soup spoon”—both leaves and stems are edible. Likewise the ever-more-common baby bok choy. One of the most delicately flavored Asian greens, bok choy is good for stir-frying (in oil, with garlic and soy sauce), braising, or simmering in soups.

Gai Lan looks similar to broccoli raab. The long, narrow stalks have dark green leaves and small clusters of flowre buds. The flavor is a cross between broccoli and mustard greens but milder than either.

Komatsuna, also known as Japanese Mustard Spinach, is an unlikely relative of the turnip family and is grown almost exclusively in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Komatsuna has dark green leaves that are rich in calcium and often quite glossy. They can be prepared like spinach in the early stages and more like cabbage as they mature. The flavor grows stronger and hotter the longer the leaves mature. This versatile green can be stir-fried, pickled, boiled and added to soups or used fresh in salads.

Tatsoi is a ground-hugging member of the bok choy family, also known as rosette bok choy for its conformation: The round, thick, very dark green leaves grow in tight, concentric circles like rose petals. With its slightly bitter flavor, tatsoi is excellent raw (when young) in salads, and adds spark to Asian-style soups when tossed in at the last minute.

Water Spinach is also known as water convolvulus and swamp cabbage. This leafy vegetable is prolific in many parts of Asia. The leaves are long and pointed and dark green, the stems paler green and hollow. It should be washed thoroughly as it grows in swampy areas. It may be cooked like spinach, stir-fried with various sauces, or added to soups. To keep a bright color blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, refresh in cold water and drain. Add to recipe and toss with flavors for a minute or so.

Buying & Storing: Leaves and stems should be fresh-looking and crisp, avoid any with yellow leaves. Bok choy’s stems should be unbroken and bright white. Store these greens loosely wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator.

Preparing: Wash and remove any yellow leaves.

Best Cooking Methods: Sautéing, steaming and stir frying.

How do I know when they are done? The stems should be tender but still crisp and the leaves should be wilted.

Substitutions: Asian greens are pretty much interchangable in recipes. Cabbage, kale and broccoli mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, and broccoli raab are good substitutes for Asisn greens.

Quick-Cooked Bok Choy
Recipe courtesy of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

This cooking technique can be used for all Asian greens

• 1 head of bok choy
• 3 Tablespoons of neutral oil – canola, peanut, grapeseed, or corn
• ½ cup water or vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the leaves from the stems of the bok choy. Trim the stems as necessary and roughly chop into 1 inch pieces. Roughly chop the leaves.

Put the oil into a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just loose their crunch, about 3 minutes. Add the greens and add about ½ cup water or stock.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the stems become very tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Sautéed Komatsuna with Basil
Recipe courtesy of Chubby Bunny CSA

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup (2 ounces) pine nuts
• 10 ounces komatsuna leaves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 cups basil leaves

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add the spinach, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until spinach wilts, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the basil and toss until it wilts, about 1 minute. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Grilled Halibut with Tatsoi and Spicy Thai Chiles
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit, June 2005 via Epicurious.com

• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce*
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Thai bird chilies with seeds or 1/2 large jalapeño chile with seeds, minced
• 1 small carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
• 4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 3/4 pound tatsoi or baby spinach (about 12 cups packed)

Mix first 7 ingredients in medium glass bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place carrot in medium bowl. Cover with ice water. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain well. Brush fish on all sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; stir 1 minute. Add tatsoi; sprinkle with salt. Toss until tatsoi is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes; divide among 4 plates.

Place fish atop tatsoi. Sprinkle each fillet with carrot; drizzle each with 2 tablespoons sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Water Spinach with Sesame Seeds

• 1 large bunch water spinach
• 3 carrots
• 5 medium red radishes
• 2 T sesame seeds
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 t honey
• 1 t Japanese soy sauce
• 1 t dark sesame oil
• 3 t thinly sliced scallion greens

Remove leaves from stems. Rinse, dry and cool. Cut stems into 1/4 inch pieces. Soak for a few minutes in lukewarm water to crisp. Dry and refrigerate, covered, for 1/2 hour or more. Thinly slice both carrots and radishes and chill each separately in a bowl with ice water for 20 minutes. In a small pan, toast sesame seeds for about 5 minutes, or until tan. In a small dish, stir together lemon juice, honey, and soy sauce. Add oil. Toss leaves with half the dressing and 1 Tbsp of sesame seeds. Arrange on plates. In a bowl, toss together stems, carrots, radishes, scallions, and the remaining dressing and seeds. Arrange on leaves and serve.