Chinese cabbage: origin, origin and synonyms

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Chinese cabbage has been grown for centuries. We will inform you about the origin, the origin and the history of this healthy vegetable.

Chinese cabbage in kitchen
Chinese cabbage is an all-rounder in the kitchen [Photo: goodbishop / Shutterstock.com]
The ever-popular Chinese cabbage is a real all-rounder: from salads to fried rice or noodles from the Chinese restaurant to as Ingredient for a vegetable stew or simply as a side dish in fried or steamed vegetables - Chinese cabbage gives many dishes a fine touch Grade. However, this particular type of cabbage found its way to Europe and America only in the last century. The origin of the kale is (the name suggests it) of course in China. However, it has been cultivated in Japan and Korea for just as long. A Chinese cabbage specialty from Korea is, for example, the so-called kimchi, for which the herb is spicy pickled. Excavations have shown that this particular type of coal laying was practiced over 2000 years ago. Although it has not been proven to this day, it is believed that the Chinese cabbage known to us is probably a cross between the turnip and pak choi.

Chinese cabbage is becoming more and more popular and the areas under cultivation are increasing

Today, Chinese cabbage is grown on a large scale in the USA and Germany. In addition, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Austria and Spain are among the main growing areas. One reason for the boom in cultivation of this cabbage in the West is the growing popularity of Asian cuisine, which can hardly do without Chinese cabbage. The largest growing areas in Asia are in China, Korea and Taiwan. The crisp Asian cabbage is also known as leaf cabbage, Peking cabbage, Japanese cabbage, and celery cabbage. Depending on its origin, the respective cabbage also differs slightly in taste: the Japanese cabbage is even milder and more tender than its relative from China.

Chinese cabbage on field
The Chinese cabbage plants take up a lot of space [Photo: High Mountain / Shutterstock.com]

The Chinese cabbage grows and thrives very well in German gardens

The crunchy and delicious Chinese cabbage can be grown very easily in the home garden in this country. A nutrient-rich soil, an adequate water supply, a location sheltered from the wind and some sun are completely sufficient to achieve success in cultivation. In Germany, the major growing areas are in North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.

Very popular due to its delicate leaves and mild aroma

In contrast to most of the European cabbage varieties known to us, the Chinese cabbage has no stalk and its leaves are pleasantly tender with a mild cabbage aroma. This is what makes this Asian type of cabbage so popular for pickling and frying. Due to its short cooking time, it is also ideal for Asian wok dishes.