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Seed | Pak Choi Bok Choi
  • Seed | Pak Choi Bok Choi
  • Seed | Pak Choi Bok Choi
Seed | Pak Choi Bok Choi

Seed | Pak Choi Bok Choi

$3.99 CAD
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Pak choi, also known as bok choy, is a fast-growing Asian leafy vegetable prized for its fleshy stems and tender leaves with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Highly cold-hardy, it is easy to grow from spring to autumn and is ideal for successive harvests. Versatile in the kitchen, it can be eaten raw or lightly cooked and is an excellent choice for northern gardens.
A LITTLE HISTORY

Pak choi, also called bok choy, is an ancient leafy vegetable originating in China, cultivated for over two thousand years and deeply rooted in Asian agricultural and culinary tradition.

It belongs to the species Brassica rapa, the same as turnips and some mustards, and has been selected over centuries for its rapid growth, high nutritional value, and ability to thrive in a variety of climates. Unlike headed cabbages, pak choi does not form a closed head, but develops fleshy, white or pale green stalks topped with tender, slightly crisp, dark green leaves, making it a popular vegetable both raw and cooked.

In China, it was traditionally grown in family gardens and dried-out rice paddies after the rice harvest, as it grows quickly and allows for multiple harvests in a single season, thus playing an important role in food self-sufficiency. Over time, pak choi spread throughout East and Southeast Asia, becoming a staple ingredient in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisines, before being introduced to Europe and North America through trade routes and Asian immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Its tolerance to cold is exceptional, its ability to germinate and grow rapidly in spring and autumn, as well as its low heat requirement, have favored its adoption in gardens in temperate and northern regions.

Today, pak choi is grown worldwide, both on a small scale and in market garden production, and is valued for its richness in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, as well as for its versatility in cooking.

Although sometimes confused with napa cabbage, pak choi retains a distinct identity and remains a symbol of continuity between ancestral agricultural practices and modern vegetable gardens, where it represents a reliable, quick and nutritious vegetable.
PROPERTIES

Pak choi has long been recognized in Asian food and medicinal traditions as a refreshing and nourishing vegetable, contributing to the body's overall balance. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is considered a gentle and hydrating food, often used to soothe internal heat, support digestion, and promote good vitality, especially when lightly cooked.

Nutritionally, pak choi is very rich in vitamins A, C, and K, which play a vital role in maintaining a strong immune system, healthy skin and eyes, and blood clotting. The vitamin C it contains acts as a natural antioxidant, helping to protect cells against oxidative stress and support the body's natural defenses, while vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotene, contributes to the health of mucous membranes and tissues.

Pak choi also provides an excellent source of minerals, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. The calcium and vitamin K it contains support strong bones and teeth, making it a valuable vegetable for vegetarians and those following a low-dairy diet. Potassium contributes to fluid balance and proper muscle function, while magnesium supports the nervous system.

Thanks to its high fiber content, pak choi promotes healthy digestion, supports intestinal transit, and contributes to a feeling of fullness, all while being very low in calories. It is therefore particularly valued in balanced diets aimed at maintaining weight and digestive health.

Like many vegetables in the Brassicaceae family, pak choi contains sulfur compounds and natural antioxidants, including glucosinolates, which are associated with supporting the body's natural detoxification mechanisms and protecting cells. These compounds contribute to pak choi's reputation as a protective and revitalizing food.

Easy to digest, tender, and mildly irritating, pak choi is suitable for both children and the elderly. Its combination of mildness, nutritional richness, and versatility in the kitchen makes it a complete vegetable, both nourishing and beneficial for overall health.
HOW TO COOK?

1. Stir-fried pak choi with garlic (classic Chinese recipe)

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

450g of pak choi (approximately 2 large heads)

2 tablespoons of vegetable or peanut oil

3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tablespoons of water

½ tsp sesame oil (optional)

Preparation
Wash the pak choi and separate the leaves from the stems. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds without burning it. Add the stems and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the leaves. Add the soy sauce and water, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until tender, then finish with the sesame oil.

2. Clear pak choi soup (Chinese family tradition)

Ingredients (4 bowls)

1 liter of chicken or vegetable broth

300g of pak choi, roughly chopped

1 finely chopped green onion

1 slice of fresh ginger (2 to 3 mm)

Salt to taste

Preparation
Bring the broth to a boil with the ginger. Add the pak choi and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the ginger, season lightly with salt, and garnish with green onion before serving.

3. Braised pak choi in soy sauce (traditional dish from southern China)

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

500g of whole or halved pak choi

1 tablespoon of oil

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tsp of sugar

60 ml of water or broth

Preparation
Heat the oil in a wide pan, add the pak choi and sear lightly. Add the soy sauce, sugar and water, cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the stems are tender and well coated.

4. Stir-fried noodles with pak choi (family recipe)

Ingredients (serves 2)

200g of wheat or egg noodles

250g of pak choi, chopped

2 tablespoons of oil

1 clove of chopped garlic

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)

Preparation
Cook the noodles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Heat the oil, sauté the garlic, add the pak choi and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the noodles, soy sauce and vinegar, then mix for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Stir-fried pak choi with mushrooms (traditional vegetarian recipe))

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

400g of pak choi

150g of mushrooms (shiitake or white mushrooms)

2 tablespoons of oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce (optional)

Preparation
Heat the oil, add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. Add the pak choi, stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then stir in the soy sauce and oyster sauce.

6. Boiled and seasoned pak choi (traditional peasant recipe)

Ingredients (serves 2)

300g of pak choi

Water for cooking

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Preparation
Boil the pak choi for 1 to 2 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain, arrange in a serving dish, drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil before serving.
HOW TO GROW?

A little cultural tidbit:

Place garlic, onions, shallots or leeks between each plant,
This will prevent you from getting diseases.

For the distance between the pac choi, use the length of your hand and put 2 seeds per hole in the soil.

Our seeds are vigorous, open-pollinated, and adapted to the Quebec climate.

  • Species: Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
  • Sowing: Early April-May (consecutive sowing every 2-3 weeks until September and October in an outdoor greenhouse or
  • (cold frame greenhouse to grow this vegetable during the winter with garden cover inside the greenhouse)
  • Seeds: 3 seeds per cell or pot in April. From mid-May, sow the seeds directly in the ground.
  • Sowing depth: 1 cm
  • Germination time: 3-8 days
  • Soil: Poor, humus-rich, loose and well-drained
  • Location: Sun, but tolerates shade and cold very well
  • Spacing between plants: 20-25 cm
  • Mature height: 15-30 cm
  • Maturity: 35-45 days
  • Seed per envelope: +/- 75

Our seeds are guaranteed for the year of purchase.

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