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Nappa Cabbage
Also called: Chinese cabbage, petsay.

Because you know what tastes good… Interestingly, nappa cabbage absorbs the flavours of the foods to which it is added all the while imparting a light sweet taste to the foods, to the delight of gourmets. Its crisp leaves can be cooked or eaten raw in a many ways. In fact, in soup, salad, stir-fry or as a side dish, nappa cabbage is a tasty and unique vegetable that deserves to be better known by consumers.

A natural elegance… The long head is formed by the crisp leaves of nappa cabbage that have white midribs fringed with leaves that vary from pale yellow to light green.

Good for you… More digestible than traditional cabbage, nappa cabbage contains isothiocyanates and indol-3-carbinol, both chemical compounds that could reduce the risks of cancer. Furthermore, it provides beta-carotene, an antioxidant that could prevent the development of malignant tumours. Nappa cabbage is also an excellent source of vitamin A and K and a good source of vitamin C, calcium and folic acid. It is interesting to note that, once boiled, nappa cabbage’s vitamins and minerals are at their highest levels.

Nappa Cabbage Worldwide: Originally from China, nappa cabbage is an indispensable ingredient in Asian cuisine. Little known in the West, but known for its particular flavour and important nutritional qualities, it appeals more and more to North Americans.

Can replace… lettuce in tacos, sandwiches or in a salad. Obviously, nappa cabbage can also substituted for green cabbage in many recipes.

Gourmets’ Inspirations:

Nappa cabbage can be cooked in the same manner as traditional cabbage: stuffed, boiled, grated in a salad or cooked in a stew. Its leaves can also be enjoyed raw as a salad drizzled with hot or cold vinaigrette. You may wish to try tossing it in a hot vinaigrette made with rice vinegar, ginger, sugar and cayenne pepper.

Excellent sautéed in a wok with meat, soy sauce and vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, daikon, cauliflower etc.), nappa cabbage can also be braised with green onions, celery and chili peppers and seasoned with ginger, a spice that is a perfect match.

Nappa cabbage should not be overcooked to remain digestible although it is easier to digest than traditional cabbage. Adding cumin or fennel will improve digestibility.

How to Select Your Nappa Cabbage: Choose a nappa cabbage with a heavy head and firm, tight and spotless leaves.

How to Store and Prepare Your Nappa Cabbage: Nappa cabbage can be stored for about two weeks in a perforated plastic bag, inside your refrigerator, as it must breathe or it will rot. To freeze your nappa cabbage, cut the leaves into strips, blanch them from 2 to 3 minutes, cool them in cold water and freeze them on a metal plate before transferring them into a plastic bag.

Savour it… during a good part of the summer and autumn. More precisely, from July to Mid-October (production of Quebec, Canada).

Related Products: Green cabbage, cauliflower, radicchio, Iceberg lettuce, romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, Boston lettuce, curly endive, escarole, shallot, daikon.

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Nutrition Facts