bok choy
.. is an underrated leaf vegetable. A visit to the Chinese market and I always get reminded of its existence. In olive oil I brown onion, garlic and other vegetables (preferably alfalfa, squash and/or aubergine) before I toss the chopped bok choy in and stir it continuously to not let it boil in its own water. Pouring a 20% vinegar, 30% soya sauce and 50% water mixture with grated ginger, black pepper & some thickener in the pan and let it all simmer for a few minutes. Best served with basmati rice, or why not pasta and some good wholewheat bread.
Bok choy is packed with vitamin A, C and K as well as folate and it is uniquely beneficial for its calcium availability. It's lower in oxalate, a substance that binds up calcium and prevents it from being absorbed, than most other leafy greens. 54% of the calcium in bok choy can be absorbed by the human body – compared to 5% in spinach, and 32% in milk. We can much more readily absorb calcium from bok choy than from dairy products. Besides being an excellent partner in stir-fry, it's also good steamed (served with sesame oil and roasted garlic), raw or in your morning smoothie. One cup cooked leafs provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A, and close to two-thirds the RDA of vitamin C. What's not to love?
