Red Napa Cabbage

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Description/Taste

Red Napa cabbage is a compact, large and elongated head, averaging 25-30 centimeters in length with an oblong to oval shape. The white stems are smooth, crunchy, and firm with vertical grooves, and the thick white stems transition into prominent veins as they travel into the leaves. The leaves range in color from bright magenta to red and are crisp with a crinkled texture and ruffled edges. Red Napa cabbage has a slightly sweeter flavor than green napa cabbage varieties and is mild with notes of pepper.

Seasons/Availability

Red Napa cabbage is available year-round, with a peak season in the late summer.

Current Facts

Red Napa cabbage, botanically classified as Brassica rapa var. pekinensis, is a heading variety of Chinese cabbage that belongs to the Brassicaceae family. Also known as Red Chinese cabbage, Pe-tsai, and Celery cabbage, Red Napa cabbage is a new variety released in 2016 that was developed by the Kwonnong Seed Co. in South Korea. The varietal was first field-tested and then introduced under the name Scarlette, and today it is also known under names such as Red Dragon and KN-RCC3. Red Napa cabbage was created for its mild, sweet flavor and bright coloring, and is predominately used in salads and as a vibrant garnish.

Nutritional Value

Red Napa cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins C and A as well as zinc and calcium. The burgundy-purple hue of Red Napa cabbage is due to the presence of anthocyanins, which are phytonutrients responsible for the pigment in the leaves and are powerful antioxidants to help boost immunity and protect the body against free radicals.

Applications

Red Napa cabbage is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as braising, stewing, grilling, stir-frying, and boiling. When raw, the vibrant colored leaves add contrast to green salads, can be shredded and mixed into slaws, or sliced and used as a crunchy topping on tacos. Red Napa cabbage can also be stir-fried with other vegetables and meats as a main dish, chopped and stuffed into dumplings, braised for a tender consistency, or tossed into soups and stews. In addition to cooked preparations, Red Napa cabbage is popularly fermented and used to make kimchi. Red Napa cabbage pairs well with herbs such as basil, cilantro, and mint, potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, cucumber, celery, parsnips, nuts such as pecans, pistachios, and peanuts, apples, cherries, and green onions. The leaves will keep 1-2 weeks when wrapped in plastic and stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

Napa cabbage is traditionally used to make kimchi, which is a spicy mixture that is also considered to be South Korea’s national dish. Consisting of fermented cabbage, radish, ginger, garlic, ground hot chile peppers, and cucumber or scallions, kimchi is a spicy dish that has many different variations depending on where it is made in Asia. In South Korea, the fermented cabbage is eaten at almost every meal as a side dish, also known as banchan, and it can also be used as a flavoring in soups, vegetable dishes, and cooked meats. Red Napa cabbage has become a popular variation of the classic recipe as it gives the kimchi a vibrant red-purple hue and provides a good source of antioxidants.

Geography/History

Green napa cabbage is native to China and was first documented in the Yangtze River Delta during the 14th century. As cabbage cultivation increased, varieties were introduced to neighboring countries such as Korea and Japan in the 1850s and later to the Americas in the late 1880s via Chinese immigrants. Red Napa cabbage varieties were created much later in 2016 and are native to South Korea where they were bred and selected by the Kwonnong Seed Co. Today Red Napa cabbage is primarily available in Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe, especially in the United Kingdom and Spain, and can also be found in limited supply through specialty grocers and online seed catalogs in the United States.