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blowin · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:52 am Post subject: Pak Choi in the poly

One of OH's best discoveries --- this green veg looks like a cross between smooth-leaved perpetual spinach and lettuce but grows faster than either . It has quite a pungent taste . Good in salad in small qty .
Don't just steam it on its own unless you like rather slippery bitter spinach but it is excellent stir-fried with other veg etc and a drop of soy or Lea & Perrins sauce . You will recognise it as the basis of nice Chinese style dishes . Well worth a go Wink

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blowin · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:30 am Post subject:

This has proved to be an absolutely brilliant crop for the poly . More hardy than lettuce . New seeds coming thru now , even after that really hard frost . Quick growing . Very versatile in cooking and great in salad . Just don't steam it on its own , as a lot of books will tell you to do , because that doesn't turn out too nice imho .

quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

I have been growing it outdoors but it seems to bolt. I end up with long stems with lots of small leaves rather than the bulbous base with large leaves. Must try it in the poly.

blowin · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject:

We don't get those big tight heads like spring cabbage / the sort of pak choi you might buy in the shops if you could find it , we get more of an open leafy plant . If our leaves from our pak choi were from cabbage you would probably discard them as likely to be too tough or strong in flavour but they aren't .
Don't know whether they are different species . I suspect it has more to do with the forced growing of those for retail .
Come try some Wink