Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is NOT safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.

Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
No specific GERD triggers.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten. Substitute wheat-free soy or tamari sauce for soy sauce.

"Idealist: One who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup."
-H.L Mencken, Journalist

The refrigerator light goes on...

This is a simple recipe but oh so flavorful. It will go with almost any Asian style meal that you choose as a side dish. It is a little better if you can find spicy Thai basil (which always seems to grow better in my garden than sweet basil). I prefer to use the large bok choy for this salad rather than the little baby bok choy. The texture is a little more coarse and the leaves slightly more bitter but I feel that it makes a better salad. You can also use thinly sliced napa cabbage for this salad.

Gluten Friendly: Those who are gluten sensitive should substitute tamari sauce in place of the soy sauce. There are low sodium versions of tamari sauce.

Bok Choy

Bok choy is also known as pak choi, pak choy, Peking cabbage, white mustard cabbage and Chinese white cabbage (not to be confused with Chinese cabbage or Napa cabbage). Although it is a member of the cabbage family, it does not have the familiar tightly packed head of other cabbages. It has a mild cabbage flavor that is slightly sweet and slightly spicy.

The leaves resemble oversized dark green romaine lettuce, with a crisp white spine somewhat like celery. Choosing bok choy is similar to choosing lettuce. Look for leaves that are firm and crisp with a stalk that is not floppy or wilted.

In U.S. markets there are few varieties available, yet in Hong Kong more than twenty types of bok choy can be found. More are coming to America, including baby bok choy. This smaller version can easily be found at Asian markets. Where the bok choy is often as long as 12 to 15 inches, the smaller variety has leaves about six inches long.

There is a very high amount of Vitamin A in bok choy– about 3500 IU in a 4 ounce serving as well as about 50 mg of Vitamin C and 15% of the RDA of calcium.  

4 ounces bok choy  = 18 calories, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 0 mono fat, 1g protein, 4g carbohydrates, 10mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol