BOK CHOI AND CHOI SUM

[Kanga Japan]

Bok Choi and Choi Sum are often both described as PHAK KWANG TUNG ผักกวางตุ้ง.

They are similar, however differ as follows:

Bok Choi (Bok Choy, Pak Choy)

Brassica rapa Chinensis (green leaves, white stems)

Choi Sum

Brassica rapa v. parachinensis/Brassica chinensis v. parachinensis - flowering version of Bok Choi

Is there another Thai word used for Choi Sum (to distinguish them from Bok Choi)?

Thank you for your help.

[AyG]

Working from the Chinese:

白菜 is bok choi. (Literally "white forest" if the Chinese readings of the kana are the same as the Japanese.) According to this page http://www.taihuabbs.com/m/index.php?a=reply&tid=58038&pid=320530 it's ผักกาดขาว, PAKGAT KAO.

菜心 is choi sum ("forest heart"). The same page lists it as ผักกวางตุ้ง, PAK GWANGTUNG. Could GWANGTUNG possibly be the region of China known in English as Guangdong?

(The link also includes the translations of a lot of other vegetables.)

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you for that. You have done a lot of research.

BOK CHOI 白菜 (hakusai - white vegetable in Japanese) here refers to the large long Chinese cabbage with the tightly curled in leaves - often used in Kim Chi (the Korean spicy cabbage dish). PHAK GAT KHAO is on my list as HAKUSAI, so that seems to be OK.

CHOI SUM has multiple meanings so far in the Japanese section of my list and I will have to check that. Does PHAK GWANG TUNG normally have flowers, I wonder? I agree with you that this may possibly have originated from the Chinese province GWANGDONG.

Thank you for your help on this.

[AyG]

Does PHAK GWANG TUNG normally have flowers, I wonder?

The page I previously provided a link to has the English name for this as Chinese Flowering Cabbage, so I'd guess it's a yes.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

After further research on PAK GWANG TUNG, the results are too confusing, so I am going to ask the botanist at DOKMAI GARDENS if he can clarify this. Thank you for your help.

I am finding too many different names listed under this. I've spent hours on this, but still not satisfied.

Thank you for your help. I will let you know if I receive a reply.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thanks for your reply just now. I appreciate you doing all this research.

I will let you know if I receive any reply from Eric at DOKMAI.