BEHR Gemüsegarten: Products

Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage is a member of the Brassica family and, as the name suggests, originates from China. It was cultivated there as early as the 5th century. But it wasn’t until the 20th century that it made its way to Europe.

Chinese cabbage is also known as napa cabbage. Chinese cabbage is probably a cross between the turnip and pak choi. It is a fast-growing leafy cabbage, as it takes only around 7 to 9 weeks from planting to harvest.

Chinese cabbage has very tender leaves and a pleasantly mild and only slightly cabbage-like taste. Its outer leaves vary from light green to green depending on the variety. The inner leaves are bright yellow. All leaves are slightly crinkled, have a thick, fleshy leaf vein in the middle and form a loose, oval to pointed head.

Cultivation and harvesting

We grow our Chinese cabbage at our sites in Ohlendorf (Lower Saxony), in Gresse (Mecklenburg-West Pomerania) and in fields in Bornheim (North Rhine-Westphalia).

When growing Chinese cabbage, crop rotation is important to prevent diseases such as cabbage hernia. Ideally, a field should be left for seven years without growing any cruciferous plants such as Chinese cabbage on it. Chinese cabbage can be harvested fresh from the field until the first frost.

Preparation and freshness tips

Unlike other well-known cabbage varieties, Chinese cabbage does not have a hard stalk. The fleshy leaf veins are very tender in Chinese cabbage and can be processed without any problems. To prepare, it is best to remove the outer one or two leaves. Then cut off about 1–2 cm from the bottom of the head. The leaves can now be detached from each other, washed and chopped as required.

Chinese cabbage can be prepared in a variety of ways. It is ideal raw in sweet or savoury salads. To prepare delicious wok dishes, you can fry it briefly or steam it. It is also popular for making cabbage rolls.

When shopping for Chinese cabbage, make sure it is tightly closed and feels firm. The outer leaves should be crisp and have no dark spots.

Chinese cabbage can easily be stored for a few days in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. If you want to keep it for longer, you can blanch the Chinese cabbage briefly in hot water and then freeze it in portions.