Today, Peking cabbage does not surprise anyone, it is sold almost everywhere. However, even more recently, this vegetable was surprising, besides the price for it could not be called affordable. The disdainful smiles of buyers disappeared when the useful properties of Peking cabbage were proved. In addition, as it turned out, Peking cabbage can be grown on the fields of Russia and Ukraine, which made it more accessible and popular.
The history of the "Peking", as it is called among the people, has its roots to the east. It has long been cultivated by the peasants of Japan, Korea and, of course, China. In those countries, it occupies the same place as the traditional cabbage in Russia.
Externally, the leaves of Peking cabbage are very similar to lettuce leaves. But, if the salad has a pronounced green color, the leaves of the "peanut" can be in the range from pale yellow to green. The average head of the cabbage is 30-50 cm long and has a cylindrical or oval shape. To many, this cabbage resembles a cabbage salad, hence its another name - salad cabbage. The taste of the leaves of Peking cabbage is special, juicy, tender, without hard veins. Here, by the way, is another similarity to a salad. Therefore, the leaves of this Chinese vegetable are suitable for making various sandwiches and salads. By the way, do not be afraid of the high price for 1 kilogram of Peking cabbage. Despite its impressive size, the weight of the peking will be much less than expected.
Earlier, with the use of Peking cabbage, in Europe, the compacted, white parts of the leaves were cut off and thrown out. But, the secret of this oriental vegetable is precisely in these white parts, they are most useful and most juicy. In fact, without these parts, the Peking cabbage turns into a salad. Thus, the white veins of Peking cabbage make it much juicier than any salad.
Depending on the size of the head, the pekinku can be used for cooking, both the first dishes, and the second. An interesting experiment will be to use Peking cabbage in our traditional dishes, for example in borscht, when preparing cabbage rolls or to put out with mushrooms or ribs. When extinguishing cabbage, you will be surprised by the practical lack of smell, and borsch or skewer will be fresh taste. Agree, it's strange to write about the freshness of taste in such ordinary dishes, but this is so. The taste of the dishes, believe me, will be different. And the taste and color ... Someone really likes, someone does not want to change their habit by a centimeter.
In short, all the dishes that are prepared with the usual salad and cabbage, you can cook with pekinkoy. In addition, the Chinese peasants salted their cabbage, pickled and brewed according to the same recipes as we do. Well, or almost for the same recipes.
If, for many, the distinctive feature of using traditional cabbage is the preparation of cabbage rolls, and sauerkraut, it is logical to assume that the eastern cuisine also has some sort of culinary masterpiece with the obligatory use of Peking cabbage. So what is this dish? The answer is a salad from Korea kimchi. For the Koreans of kimchi, a cult dish, or, more correctly, a national dish, is a national feature of Korean cuisine that should be on the table.
When cooking kimchi must be used Peking cabbage. If you are not strong in cooking, but you want to taste a delicious delicacy, then buy this salad and try. Moreover, according to research scientists in kimchi contains even more vitamins than in fresh produce.
You will be interested to know that cabbage juice is very useful for the intestines, it is rich in vitamins such as B1, B2, B12, PP.
Even long before our era, the medicinal and antiseptic properties of cabbage were known in ancient Rome. Perhaps cabbage played not the least role in the conquests of Rome.
Peking cabbage has the same useful properties as the ordinary cabbage. In the east, Peking, in the opinion of many, is a guarantee of longevity and health. Even healers used it in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Modern science has determined what the medicinal properties of cabbage are - this is a large amount of an amino acid called lysine. Lysine has the ability to dissolve foreign proteins and plays a significant role in the purification of blood. Maybe that's why cabbage juice is so good with a hangover?
Peking cabbage contains minerals and vitamins in the same amount as the well-known white cabbage. However, vitamin C in pekin is 2 times more than in ordinary cabbage and cabbage salad, as well as protein. Also, the Chinese cabbage contains vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, PP, E, P, K, U, 16 kinds of amino acids, glucose and organic acids.
And in conclusion. Having listed the main advantages of Peking cabbage, we deliberately left the most delicious on the ending. With any method of conservation, with time, the amount of vitamins is rapidly declining. As a result, when in winter we consume sauerkraut, the amount of vitamins in it is 50-70% of the original. At the same time, Peking cabbage can preserve vitamins throughout the winter. Where is the salad here?
Therefore, if you want to supplement your winter diet with an easy and useful product, sometimes called a vitamin bomb, do not forget about Peking cabbage.