Pink Celery
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Pink celery is a vibrantly-colored Chinese vegetable that resembles rhubarb in color and structure. This variety measures around 61 to 76 centimeters in height and has ribbed stalks that are smooth, shiny, and crunchy, joining at a base around the root of the vegetable. It features a fuchsia hue that can be more vibrant on some stalks than others. As the stalks approach the parsley-like leaves at the top, the color may transition from vivid fuchsia to a pink-white shade. Its flat three-lobed, feathery leaves are a rich green tone and have a smooth and shiny texture, often removed before consumption despite being edible. Pink celery has an aromatic herbal scent with a crunchy robust flavor that’s lightly sweet and contains notes of anise.
Seasons/Availability
Pink celery is available from late summer to fall.
Current Facts
The botanical name for Pink celery is Apium graveolens and it’s from the Apiaceae family, which also includes carrots, coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel. It’s native to China, where it holds both culinary, ornamental, and medicinal value. This variety is also referred to as Rose celery or Nan Ling Pink. Aside from pink, Chinese celery comes in white, pale green, yellow-green, and dark green. All of these colors have a thinner and more bendable shape compared to Western varieties of celery. In Chinese culture, Pink celery symbolizes prosperity and culture and is often used to give dishes a vibrant fuchsia hue. Chinese celery is used in Thai cuisine, where it’s called phak chi lom, and in Vietnam, where it’s called can tau.
Nutritional Value
Pink celery is a source of vitamins K and A, encouraging healthy vision and skin, cell growth, blood clotting, and immune, bone, and cognitive health. This vegetable contains potassium and magnesium to help regulate blood pressure, muscle function, energy production, blood sugar control, inflammation reduction, fluid balance, and kidney and nerve health. Pink celery provides the body with manganese and calcium, supporting wound healing, teeth strength, heart health, and the metabolism of carbohydrates and cholesterol. These nutrients also protect against oxidative stress. Pink celery was valued for its medicinal properties in Ancient China, with Confucius promoting it as early as 500 BCE for its soothing, digestive, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Applications
Pink celery may be eaten fresh, braised, pickled, or boiled. When raw, this variety is not usually consumed on its own due to its tendency to be bitter but is commonly added fresh to green salads, grain bowls, green juices, chicken salads, or used as a garnish for entrées and drinks like tonics and Bloody Marys. Pink celery can be sliced into stir-fries with vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce or stirred into soups and stews. It creates a colorful replacement for green celery in a mirepoix mix with carrots and onions. Pickled Pink celery makes for a unique addition to sandwiches and charcuterie boards. This variety pairs well with beets, persimmons, red onion, blue cheese, pears, oranges, lentils, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, scallions, ginger, and mushrooms. Pink celery can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to two weeks.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Pink celery derives from the ancient celery crops of China, which are referred to as qin cai or shui qin. Chinese celery was a popular ingredient in imperial China that was mixed with salt, finely cut meat, wine, and mold ferment to preserve food, a practice that stopped once soy-based ferments were developed. Chinese celery is still used in China to make dim sum and pickled side dishes. It's particularly popular during the Lunar New Year when it's incorporated into celebratory dishes like soups, stir-fries, and braises for good luck. Though Western celery is often employed in Chinese restaurants in America because it’s more readily available, chefs often prefer the thin, three-lobed leaves of Chinese varieties like Pink celery.
Geography/History
Pink celery is native to China and is believed to have stemmed from a wild celery species during ancient times. The pink stalks eventually made their way to Europe through trade routes and were briefly popular in the 19th century before fading from commercial use. Pink celery grows in temperate and tropical climates, requiring full sun exposure and consistent moisture. Within China, this vegetable may be found in marshlands, mountainsides, commercial farms, and private gardens. Pink celery is relatively rare outside of Northern China. It was introduced to the United States from Beijing by the Baker Creek company and can occasionally be found at farmers' markets or purchased as seeds, particularly in California. It is also infrequently found in the markets and gardens of some Eastern Asia and European countries.
