Chinese White Cabbage; Bai Cai; Sawi-Puteh(M); Pak-Choi(C); Peh-Chai(H). Brassica chinensis Juslenius (Cruciferae)
A glabrous annual or biennial with mature radical leaves loosely set, leaving the stalk bare for a great part of its length. Blade bright dark green are rounded with noticeable white veins, tapering below into a long white fleshy petiole, usually expanded at the base. There are many cultivars under different names used by farmers and in the markets, which create a rather confusing situation. One recently introduced cultivar sold here differs from the others in that the petiole is only a little lighter green than the blade. It is a neat upright plant which is harvested when quite small, with about 8 leaves and only 15 cm tall.
Origin
It originated in Eastern Asia and has grown extensively in China and Japan. It has now spread to Malaysia, Indonesia and many parts of the world. It is one of the easiest and most productive vegetables in the tropics for all elevations.
Uses
The leaves are eaten cooked or they can be pickled in salt for three days and dried and stored for weeks as salted cabbage (Pak-Choi_kan, (C)).
