This item
Napa Cabbage
- Tight elongated cabbage head
- Crinkled pale-green leaves
- Broad thick white ribs
Vegetables
Napa Cabbage
A long oval cabbage head with crinkled pale-green leaves and broad thick white ribs.
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3 identity clues
- Tight elongated cabbage head
- Crinkled pale-green leaves
- Broad thick white ribs
Names in other languages
- 繁體中文
- 紹菜
- English
- Napa Cabbage
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Napa Cabbage (紹菜)
- Tagalog
- Napa Cabbage (紹菜)
Name in Cantonese (Jyutping): siu6 coi3 No Cantonese voice on this device
What is it?
紹菜 is the common Hong Kong market term for the vegetable widely called Napa cabbage or Chinese cabbage in English.
How to identify it
Look for a tight elongated head, crinkled pale-green leaves and broad white ribs. It is not loose, narrow-leaved Indian lettuce.
Common confusion
Compare
Indian Lettuce
- Long narrow upright leaves
- No compact cabbage head
- Light-green blades with pale midribs
Compare
Cabbage
- round or near-round leaf head
- broad smooth leaves
- short firm central core
How to identify it
Napa cabbage has a compact long head and broad white ribs; Indian lettuce does not form a head. Round cabbage forms a compact round head; Napa cabbage is more elongated with broad white leaf ribs.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Commonly used in hot pot, soup, braises and stir-fries.
Choosing & preparing
Separate outer leaves, wash each leaf under running water, trim damaged parts and cut as required.
Storage
Keep unwashed and dry in the refrigerator crisper; wrap cut sections and use soon.
Helper tip
Napa cabbage forms a long compact head; Indian lettuce has narrower leaves growing loosely from the stem.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
買一棵紹菜打邊爐，要包得實。The employer wants one firm, tightly packed Napa cabbage for hot pot.
Useful market phrase
唔該要一棵實淨紹菜。Meaning: One firm head of Napa Cabbage, please.
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