Napa cabbage
| Napa cabbage | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Species | Brassica rapa |
| Cultivar group | Pekinensis Group |
| Origin | China, before the 15th century |
Napa or nappa cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis or Brassica rapa Pekinensis Group) is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China, and is widely used in East Asian cuisine. In much of the world, this is the vegetable referred to as "Chinese cabbage".
Naming
| Napa cabbage | |||||||||||||||||||
|
Some nappa cabbages | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 大白菜 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 大白菜 | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Cantonese | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 黃芽白 | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Korean name | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hangul | 배추 | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 白菜 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hiragana | はくさい | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
The name "nappa" comes from colloquial and regional Japanese, where nappa (菜っ葉) refers to the leaves of any vegetable, especially when used as food.[1] The Japanese name for this specific variety of cabbage is hakusai (白菜)—literally "white vegetable"—a Sino-Japanese reading of the Chinese name. The Korean name for nappa cabbage is baechu (Hangul: 배추).
Outside of Asia, this vegetable is also referred to as Chinese cabbage.
Regionally, it is also known as sui choy,[2] and celery cabbage.[3] In the United Kingdom this vegetable is known as Chinese leaf, in New Zealand as wong bok or won bok, and in Australia and the Philippines as wombok.[4] Another name used in English is petsai or pe-tsai.[5]
Vegetable
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 68 kJ (16 kcal) |
|
3.2 g | |
| Dietary fiber | 1.2 g |
|
0.2 g | |
|
1.2 g | |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin C |
(33%) 27 mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium |
(8%) 77 mg |
| Iron |
(2%) 0.31 mg |
| Magnesium |
(4%) 13 mg |
| Sodium |
(1%) 9 mg |
| |
|
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database | |
Napa cabbage is a cool season annual vegetable which grows best when the days are short and mild. The plant grows to an oblong shaped head consisting of tightly arranged crinkly, thick, light-green leaves with white prominent veins. Innermost layer leaves feature light yellow color.[6]
Nappa cabbage is widely used in China, Japan, and Korea.[7] Nappa cabbage is used as a sign of prosperity in China,[8] and often appears as a symbol in glass and porcelain figures. The Jadeite Cabbage sculpture of Taiwan's National Palace Museum is a carving of a nappa cabbage variety. It is also found in North American, European and Australian cities after Asian immigrants settled in the regions.
In Korean cuisine, nappa cabbage is the main ingredient of baechu kimchi, the most common type of kimchi, but is also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters, dipped in gochujang.[9] The outer, tougher leaves are used in soups. It can be used in stir-fry with other ingredients such as tofu, mushroom and zucchini. It is also eaten with hot pot meals. Napa cabbage is particularly popular in South Korea's northern Gangwon Province.[7]
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis. |
- ↑ "Oxford English Dictionary nappa, n.2". Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ↑ "Chinese Cabbage". chinesefood.about.com. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ "Chi′nese cab′bage". Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ Afable, Patricia O. (2004). Japanese pioneers in the northern Philippine highlands: a centennial tribute, 1903-2003. Filipino-Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon, Inc. p. 116. ISBN 978-971-92973-0-7.
- ↑ Toxopeus, H & Baas, J (2004) Brassica rapa L.. - In: Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen. - p.146-151.
- ↑ "Napa cabbage nutrition facts". Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- 1 2 Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin (22 May 2012). Frommer's South Korea. John Wiley & Sons. p. 326. ISBN 978-1-118-33363-1.
- ↑ Klein, Donna (4 December 2012). The Chinese Vegan Kitchen: More Than 225 Meat-free, Egg-free, Dairy-free Dishes from the Culinary Regions of China. Penguin Group US. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-101-61361-0.
- ↑ Vongerichten, Marja (2 August 2011). The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen. Rodale. pp. 37–42. ISBN 978-1-60961-128-6.