There is a proverb in the countryside that says, "Cut cabbage in winter, and harvest spinach in snow." In a few days, it will be "the beginning of winter", and we farmers will be ready to harvest Chinese cabbage in the field!
Chinese cabbage has always had the reputation of "the king of all vegetables, never get tired of eating": on the one hand, because the price of Chinese cabbage is very cheap, ordinary people can afford to eat it; On the other hand, because Chinese cabbage can be eaten all year round, it is a home-cooked dish on the dinner table of every household; On the other hand, Chinese cabbage is rich in nutrition and has a variety of ways to eat, which can be fried, stewed, stir-fried, vinegared, chopped and pickled, etc., especially in the northern region, Chinese cabbage is a vegetable type that every family has to store and store at home during the winter.
In today's article, I will tell you how to buy high-quality Chinese cabbage that is tender and suitable for long-term storage, and tell you about the significant differences between green leafy Chinese cabbage and yellow leaf Chinese cabbage on the market? How to choose and store the two kinds of Chinese cabbage correctly?
1. Why is green leafy Chinese cabbage different from yellow leaf Chinese cabbage? What's the difference? Which one is better to buy?
(1) Green leafy Chinese cabbage generally refers to what we often call "autumn and winter cabbage" (Chinese cabbage with green outer leaves and white inner leaves), this kind of Chinese cabbage has good cold tolerance, long growth cycle, and belongs to late-maturing Chinese cabbage, which is generally planted after cooling in autumn and harvested before the arrival of winter frost, and it takes about 3 months from sowing to harvesting; Yellow-leaved Chinese cabbage generally refers to what we often call "summer cabbage" (Chinese cabbage with yellow leaves inside and outside), this kind of Chinese cabbage has good heat resistance, short growth cycle, and belongs to early-maturing Chinese cabbage, which is generally suitable for planting in the summer and autumn with higher temperatures and is not suitable for planting in the season with lower temperatures, and it only takes about 2 months from sowing to harvesting.
(2) The water content in the leaves of green cabbage is relatively small, the number of leaves is relatively large, the core is loose, the leaves are thick and tough, the leaf fibers are thicker and more, the taste is more strong but not tender and lubricated enough and the taste is light, it is more suitable for slow frying, stewing, chopping and other methods of cooking and eating, while the water content in the leaves of yellow cabbage leaves is more, the number of leaves is relatively small, the core is more compact, the leaves are thin and crispy, the leaf fibers are relatively fine, the taste is more fresh and crisp and the taste is stronger, and it is more suitable for stir-frying. Vinegar, soup, shabu-shabu, pickling, cold dressing and other methods of cooking and eating.
(3) Because of its good cold tolerance and relatively small water content in the leaves, green leafy Chinese cabbage is less likely to rot and deteriorate, has stronger storage and transportation, and can be stored for a longer time, which is the first choice for long-term storage of Chinese cabbage in winter at home; The yellow-leaved Chinese cabbage is more likely to rot and spoil, the storage and transportation resistance is relatively poor, not suitable for long-term storage, after harvesting or buying home, you need to eat it as soon as possible, otherwise it will be easy to rot and rot within a few days after a long time.
(4) The size of the green leafy Chinese cabbage is relatively large, the leaves are relatively thick, and the weight of a single cabbage is relatively heavy, and the weight of a single cabbage is less than three or five catties, and the weight is more than seven or eight catties. The yellow-leaved Chinese cabbage is relatively small, the leaves are relatively thin, and the weight of a single cabbage is relatively light, and a single cabbage is generally only about two or three catties, and you can eat it in one or two meals when you buy a Chinese cabbage.
2. How to choose high-quality fresh and tender Chinese cabbage?
Look at the leaves and roots: When buying Chinese cabbage, compare and take a look, give priority to buying the leaf ball looks very full, the leaf surface looks fresh, the root is white and healthy without rotting and discoloration, such Chinese cabbage is generally just harvested, rich in nutrients, not only will it taste very fresh, but also can be stored for a longer time without rotting. If the leaf ball of Chinese cabbage looks inadequate and not full, the surface of the leaf looks loose or wilted and yellowish is more serious, and the roots have obvious blackening and discoloration, such Chinese cabbage is generally harvested and placed for a long time, and the nutrients in the cabbage have been lost a lot, not only the taste will be worse, but also more likely to rot and rot during storage.
Press the vegetables and pick up the vegetables: when buying Chinese cabbage, you can first press the top of the leaf ball of the Chinese cabbage with your hand slightly, and at the same time pick up the Chinese cabbage and put it in your hand, and give priority to the purchase of the leaf ball that is harder and heavier to pick up, so that the Chinese cabbage generally grows and matures better, and the cabbage is more compact, which is not only delicious, but also more resistant to long-term storage.
3. How to make Chinese cabbage not easy to rot and spoil when stored for a long time?
Chinese cabbage (after being picked from the ground or purchased from the market, if the quantity is relatively large and cannot be eaten for a while, the Chinese cabbage can be dried in the sun until the outermost leaves are slightly dry and yellowish, and then stored in a low-temperature ventilation and dark environment with a temperature of about 3 degrees and an air humidity of about 85%, so that the Chinese cabbage can be stored for a longer time without rotting and rotting too early.
But everyone should pay attention to the fact that if you have yellow leaf Chinese cabbage with more water content in the leaves, it is best to wrap it in old newspaper or something when storing this Chinese cabbage to prevent it from rotting and rotting quickly.
Finally, the small back basket of agricultural technology will add a little more to you: although the difference between green leafy Chinese cabbage and yellow leaf Chinese cabbage is very large, but both are the same kind of vegetables of the cruciferous family, not two completely different vegetables, although the taste of green leafy Chinese cabbage and yellow leaf Chinese cabbage is not the same, but there is not much difference between the nutrients contained in the two, and there is no situation where anyone is richer in nutrients than whom, so don't blindly listen to it.