TAH TSAI (Tatsoi, Tai goo choi, tai gu choi, wu ta cai, chinese flat cabbage)

This distinctive green grows like a flat round plate-only a few inches tall but often over a foot in diameter. It is easily identifiable by its dark green stems and emerald, spoon-shaped leaves. The stalks are sweet and almost creamy, and the leaves taste like a slightly mustardy Swiss chard.

When very young, tah tsai is an excellent salad green and it is increasingly found in "mesclun" salad mixes. I recently discovered that the young leaves also make an excellent pesto that can be used for garnishing soups or spreading on crackers.

As with the other chois, tah tsai is wonderful lightly sautéed or thrown into soups. It is becoming as popular among Midwest farmers as it is among Asian farmers because it can withstand snow and frost, often remaining edible through December.

Recipe Suggestion:

Simple Sautéed Tah Tsai

2 heads tah tsai (about 1 pound)
1 Tb olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Separate, wash, and dry the tah tsai leaves. (p>2. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and cook the tah tsai for just a few minutes, until the leaves are wilted but the stems are still crisp. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Selection Tips

The leaves and stems should be a bright, glossy green, with no wilting or bruising.

Nutritional Highlights

The dark green leaves of tah tsai are very high in beta carotene and Vitamins A, C, and K. Tah tsai also has good amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, and iron.

Terra Brockman is a writer, editor, publisher, and nonprofit organizer who lives in central Illinois. She first encountered a genuine Asian cuisine when she lived in Japan from 1985-1990. She expanded her culinary horizons in New York City from 1990-1998. Since then she has been a freelance writer and editor, while working on her brother's organic farm where many Asian vegetables are grown.