Pechay, pitsay or petsay, no
matter how you spell it, is one of the most popular vegetables in the
Philippines. In the United States, this vegetable is popularly known
as bok choi. It is more and more readily available in regular supermarkets
such as your friendly neighborhood Dominick's, Jewel or Country Market.
In the Philippines, there seemed to have been a pechay
revolution in Metro Manila a decade ago when every available land
was cultivated with pechay. So like, vacant lots in front of the SSS building
on East Ave., in Quezon City, used to be a pechay plantation galore. Now it's government
offices and barong barongs and pechay plots of course.
Usually used as an ingredient for stews and
pancit. While it is not that tasty (the white stalks
tastes like paper I think), some varieties add a little bit of
pungent flavor to the dishes it is added to. The only dish that I
like with pechay is clear beef stew with pieces of
beef, maybe some potatoes, ginger and whole peppercorns and of
cource, pechay. And a generous serving of patis on the side. I
have a shallow treshold for such things.
