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Choy Sum Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to choy sum products
About choy sum
Also known as Chinese flowering cabbage, choy sum is a leafy green vegetable that's often used in Chinese stir-fry dishes. In fact, it's one of the most popular vegetables used in Cantonese cuisine. The literal translation of the name means "heart of the vegetable," and it's related to cauliflower, broccoli, and mustard. Choy sum is native to China and believed to have been used since the fifth century. Over the years, the cultivation increased and spread to neighboring countries. Today, it's one of the most popular vegetables in Southeast Asia.
The entire above-ground portion of the vegetable is edible, including the leaves, stalks, and flowers. Unlike many other types of cabbage, choy sum never forms any compact heads and resembles a cross between rapini and bok choy. Its stems are about 6 to 8 inches in length, and it has oval leaves and yellow flowering buds. The stems are pale green and connected to lightly serrated green leaves, while its flowers are edible and have a subtle mustard flavor.
Depending on how old the plant is, the young stems are sweeter than the more mature ones with a stronger, more pungent flavor. When ripe, the vegetable is juicy, tender, and crunchy and might have a slightly bitter taste, often compared to that of broccoli rabe.
How to pick out choy sum
Choy sum is available year-round, but it's best to enjoy during cool seasons. Although the flowers are edible, selecting a choy sum that has already flowered might make the flavor a little more bitter. You want to select bright and vibrant greens that don't have any damaged or yellowing sections. Choosing smaller stalks will give you a milder flavor and a more tender vegetable to work with. Older and larger stalks have a more pronounced bitter and mustard-green flavor.
Let Instacart help you when it comes to picking your choy sum. Open your Instacart app, add choy sum to your cart, and an Instacart shopper will get started on your order. You can receive your choy sum order at your house in as little as 2Â hours!
Health benefits of choy sum
This nutrient-dense and healthy vegetable provides several benefits when consumed. It contains glucosinolates, which are chemical compounds that offer certain cancer-protective benefits. Consuming higher amounts of choy sum can help with thyroid dysfunction. Other vitamins and minerals found in this vegetable include the following:
- Calcium: The calcium found in choy sum can promote teeth and bone health.
- Iron: Choy sum has high levels of iron, which promote red blood cells within the body. An increase in these cells can help to prevent anemia.
- Vitamin A: This vitamin promotes respiratory, urinary, and intestinal health as well as reduces the macular degeneration of the eye.
- Vitamin B6: Thanks to the presence of this vitamin, choy sum can help boost your immune system and regulate your blood glucose levels.
- Vitamin C: Consuming 100 grams of choy sum gives you 45 grams of vitamin C, which is the equivalent of 75% of your daily required intake. This vitamin helps to protect your body against diseases.
Choy Sum Near Me
Buy your favorite Choy Sum online with Instacart. Order Choy Sum from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about choy sum
After harvesting, the vegetable's aroma and texture will start to change. Eating it fresh is always the best option. Once you have choy sum in your home, store them loosely in a bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer. They will keep for three to seven days this way. Avoid washing the choy sum until you're ready to use it.
Yes, you can freeze this vegetable. Simply blanch the choy sum in boiling water for two minutes, drain, and rinse it with cold water. You can store it in the freezer for between eight months to one year. Once thawed, the vegetable's leaves and stems will become softer, but you can use them in soups and stews.
Choy sum is a vegetable that you can eat either raw or cooked. When eaten raw, you can slice and add the leaves and stems to salads or lightly toss them in dressing for a delicious side dish. Simply wash the greens as well as remove any damaged pieces and drier parts of the stalks.
If you're looking to cook the choy sum, you can blanch, boil, or stir-fry it. It's a popular choice in Asian cuisine, as it's often lightly stir-fried with garlic, meat, and other vegetables. You can also add the greens to soups and stews as well as combine use them on top of pizza or in casseroles. In Cantonese cooking, the vegetable is lightly blanched and topped with a type of sauce, including soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, or oyster sauce. You can also use the leftover blanched water to make soup stock.