Vegetable
Brassica rapa
S tier
Brassica rapa pekinensis group is napa cabbage—elongated, pale green heads with crinkled leaves and thick white ribs, milder and juicier than European drumhead cabbage. Essential for kimchi, hot pot, and stir-fries. Cool weather forms tight heads; heat causes loose bolting plants. Ferment, steam, or flash-cook; raw salads work when young. Species ties napa to bok choy and turnips. Outer leaves wrap dumplings and rolls.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Dumpling WrapHot PotKimchi FermentSteamStir Fry
Traits
CrinkledElongated Pale HeadJuicy MildKimchi EssentialMild JuicyPale HeadSpecies Primary PekinensisSpecies Umbrella
History
CN
Northern Chinese selection produced heading pekinensis cabbages.
KR
Napa-type cabbage became central to large-scale kimchi culture.
Global Korean and Chinese cuisines spread napa cabbage worldwide.
Supermarket napa heads became standard outside Asia.