Does lettuce belong to the cabbage family? There are also cabbages. Do they belong to the cabbage family?

Chinese cabbage, also known as "head cabbage", "yellow bean sprouts" or "woxin cabbage", is an origin and specialty vegetable in my country. It is commonly cultivated throughout the country, mainly in North China. production area. Chinese cabbage occupies an important position in my country's vegetable production and consumption due to its tender, crispy, milky-white juice, easy planting, and storage resistance. It is a delicious vegetable on people's tables in autumn and winter. In the north, Chinese cabbage is known as the "home dish" and "half-year dish" and has been introduced to various parts of the world. In Japan, Chinese cabbage is called "Tang cuisine" and "Shandong cuisine"; in Europe and the United States, some people call Chinese cabbage "Chinese cabbage".

Although Chinese cabbage originated in my country, it is neither like leeks, ginger, garlic and other vegetables that can find long and reliable records in classical literature, nor is it like some vegetables originating in China that have long and reliable records in classical literature. There are still primitive wild species to be found in the mountains, rivers and fields. Looking through ancient books, there is no record of Chinese cabbage before the Yuan Dynasty. According to textual research, the history of Chinese cabbage is relatively short. It has gone through the Ming and Qing dynasties since the Yuan Dynasty, and it has been about seven or eight hundred years. Agriculturists have conducted in-depth research on Chinese cabbage and concluded that it is composed of Chinese cabbage in the south and Chinese cabbage in the north. Evolved from natural hybridization of turnips. Therefore, to explore the origin of Chinese cabbage, we must start with the origin of Chinese cabbage and turnips.

Pak choi, also known as green cabbage, rapeseed, ordinary cabbage, etc., was called "Song" in ancient times. Native to southern China. The earliest historical records date from the Western Jin Dynasty; turnip, also known as Brassica miltiorrhiza, is a kind of root mustard, commonly known as "spicy pimple". It is native to my country, with Northwest and North China as the main production areas. Turnip has been cultivated in my country for a long time. It has been recorded in the pre-Qin literature "The Book of Songs" and is called "Tujing". The word "turnip" is also included in the vegetable chapter of "The Book of Fan Sheng" in the Western Han Dynasty. It has been widely cultivated in the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Huan, there was a record that "heavy floods caused disasters and the crops were not harvested. All the affected counties and counties planted vines to satisfy their hunger."

As for the regional characteristics and evolution of the two vegetables, cabbage and turnip, the "Southern Vegetation and Trees" written by Jihan of the Western Jin Dynasty wrote this in the section "Turkish and turnip": " There are none to the south of Rujing Ridge, but occasionally they are planted there because of official duties. When they come out of the ground, they turn into mustards. They also plant oranges in the north of the Yangtze River, which means they are grown in Qujiang River. "Qin Song." "Nan Qi Shu" written by Xiao Zixian of the Southern Dynasty records: Chinese cabbage is cultivated in the south and is called "Song". "Tang Materia Medica" written by Su Gong of the Tang Dynasty records: "Cyanine and cogongrass have different origins." "Piya" written by Lu Dian in the Song Dynasty said: "Chinese cabbage is grown in the north, and half of it is turnip in the first year, and turnip in the second year. The same goes for turnips grown in the south. "Chen Fu in the Southern Song Dynasty also recorded: "Grow radish and green vegetables in July." Green vegetables refer to Chinese cabbage.

It can be seen from the above historical data that Chinese cabbage and turnip have different origins, and there have been character variations during the introduction process from north to south. However, given that technology was not developed at that time, people had no way of knowing. What factors caused the variation in Chinese cabbage and turnips. It was not until the Yuan Dynasty that Chinese cabbage appeared. Hu Sihui directly called the so-called "song" cabbage for the first time in "Yinshan Zhengyao" and drew it carefully. Judging from the shape of cabbage he painted, it is no longer a small cabbage that grows from the ground. Instead, the outer leaves are gathered upward, and their cohesive state has evolved into a ball-forming Chinese cabbage type. But what cannot be separated or ignored is that the long history from Jin to Yuan is an important stage in the evolution process of Chinese cabbage, from internal factors to external factors, from quantitative changes to qualitative changes, and from accidental to inevitable mutations. At the same time, the wars and turmoil during this period, people's migration, cultural exchanges between the north and the south, and the interactive planting of crops all played a role in promoting the evolution of Chinese cabbage. After the Yuan Dynasty, more and more classics were written about Chinese cabbage. The "Guangbaichuan Xuehai" written by Wang Shimao of the Ming Dynasty introduced the definition and origin of Chinese cabbage in the "Fruits and Vegetables" section, and recommended "Yandi Huangbean" as a famous variety. The "Tongkao on Timing" written by Qing Hongshu and others praised Chinese cabbage as "crispy, beautiful and dry", and also pointed out clearly: Yellow sprouts are a different species of Chinese cabbage and must not be confused with Chinese cabbage. Ding Yi once made a clear discussion of Chinese cabbage in "Farm Notes". He called Chinese cabbage "heart-warming Chinese cabbage". He introduced the cultivation experience in Shandong area of ??early autumn planting and light snow harvest, and also introduced the method of tying up the outer leaves with straw rope after frost to protect the bulb leaves.

Modern agricultural science and technology has proven that Chinese cabbage and turnip are different subspecies of the genus Brassica of the Brassicaceae family, and cruciferous vegetables are the easiest to naturally hybridize. In particular, Chinese cabbage and turnip are the closest genetically related, with the same basic chromosome set and each other. The fertility rate of natural crosses is 100%, and the offspring of its parents can grow and reproduce normally. Moreover, the biological characteristics of Chinese cabbage are between those of Chinese cabbage and turnip.

The results of artificial hybridization of these two vegetables by vegetable experts also prove that Chinese cabbage is the product of the hybridization of Chinese cabbage and turnip. Agriculturists' further inferences are: First, because Chinese cabbage and turnip are introduced to each other from the north to the south, the two vegetables bloom at the same time, and their genetic relationship is extremely close. Under the condition of natural pollination, it is entirely possible for natural hybridization and the emergence of hybrid offspring. Secondly, this hybrid is a semi-cold-tolerant vegetable. It requires a cool and humid climate, a suitable temperature difference between day and night, and does not suffer from frost damage. The sunshine and rainfall meet the external environmental conditions for balling. The autumn climate, temperature and slightly alkaline soil characteristics of North China meet these requirements, and after nearly a thousand years of evolution and cultivation, Chinese cabbage with strong heads finally appeared. What needs to be stated here is that the author believes that today's people call Chinese cabbage "Chinese cabbage" or "Chinese cabbage" is a misnomer and should be clarified and corrected.

To sum up, the advanced variant of Chinese cabbage we eat now - balled Chinese cabbage, is the result of countless evolutions and the long-term labor practice of people of all ages. Contemporary Chinese cabbage has formed a huge family, which can be said to be colorful and different from what it used to be. Its lines have developed to more than a thousand varieties of four variants and three ecotypes of nodule variants. Chinese cabbage is more adaptable and has become the "national dish" grown all over the country. What is even more exciting is that with the rapid development of agricultural science and technology, off-season heat-resistant Chinese cabbage and colorful Chinese cabbage have also come out one after another.

Chinese cabbage is large and strong, high in quality, low in price, and rich in nutrients, making it a must-eat for a long time. Once it came out, it was loved by people. Hu Sihui of the Yuan Dynasty wrote in "Yinshan Zhengyao": "Chinese cabbage is sweet, warm, and non-toxic. It is mainly used to clear the intestines and stomach, remove troubles in the chest, and relieve alcohol poisoning." Wang Shimao of the Ming Dynasty appreciated Chinese cabbage very much. , considered to be a divine product among vegetables. Wu Qirui of the Qing Dynasty said that after northern Chinese cabbage was transported to the south: "There was competition to buy it, and it tasted better than meat, so it spread like wildfire." Wang Shixiong recorded in "Suixiju Diet Book" that he commented on the benefits of eating Chinese cabbage and said: "It is sweet and nourishing. The Qing Dynasty historian Ke Shaobin wrote in his poem "Growing Jiaozhou Cabbage": "The green leaves are full of white jade fat, and the ice and snow in the cold winter are also sweet and fragrant." Lu Xun praised it in "Mr. Teng Ye". "Glazed cabbage" is a famous specialty of Qingdao, Shandong Province. At that time, "glue cabbage" was rare and expensive. When it was shipped to the south, merchants tied the roots with red ropes and sold them in a showy way. Qi Baishi, a famous modern Chinese painting master, loves Chinese cabbage very much. In his picture "Chili Cabbage", he was very dissatisfied with Chinese cabbage. He wrote an inscription with emotion: "Peony is the king of flowers, lychee is the first fruit, and cabbage is not considered a vegetable." From then on, Chinese cabbage became known as the “King of Vegetables” and was widely praised and recognized. The common people have a stronger attachment to Chinese cabbage. A common folk proverb goes: "Fish makes fire, meat makes phlegm, cabbage and tofu keep you safe." The Japanese comment on Chinese cabbage: "It has excellent properties, sweet taste, soft and crisp texture, and is among all vegetables. The best product."

Modern nutrition science has measured that every 100 grams of Chinese cabbage contains 1.7 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 0.6 grams of dietary fiber, 250 micrograms of provitamin A, and vitamin A42. Micrograms, vitamin PP 0.8 mg, vitamin C 47 mg, vitamin E 0.92 mg, thiamine 0.06 mg, riboflavin 0.07 mg, calcium 69 mg, iron 0.5 mg, zinc 0.21 mg, phosphorus 30 mg, selenium 0.33 mg, Molybdenum 0.08 micrograms. What needs to be reminded in particular is that Chinese cabbage is rich in selenium and molybdenum, which are essential trace elements for the human body. Selenium can complement vitamin E and have functions such as preventing myocardial infarction, high blood pressure and enhancing human immunity; molybdenum is an enzyme It is an important component and can also assist in the metabolism of sugar and fat. Both of them have anti-cancer effects and can directly or indirectly kill cancer cells. The oxalic acid content of Chinese cabbage is very small and has almost never been reported. Therefore, nutrition experts list Chinese cabbage as one of the preferred vegetables for health care and cancer prevention.

In terms of consumption, Chinese cabbage has a wide range of dishes and does not block the taste. It is suitable for a variety of cooking methods, and can be mixed with soy sauce, pickled, and stir-fried.

It can be made into a dish alone or combined with many raw materials; it can be made into elegant high-end dishes or thick pot dishes; it can be served in both halls and canteens; and it can also be used as a filling for pastries. One of the essential ingredients for shabu-shabu hotpot. It can be said that the true taste is like water, carrying all things. However, experts suggest that Chinese cabbage dishes that have been left overnight or for a long time should not be eaten to prevent the nitrate in the Chinese cabbage from turning into toxic nitrite.

In recent years, under the guidance of the back-to-basics food style, chefs from all over the country have devoted themselves to creating brand dishes and innovative dishes with Chinese cabbage as the protagonist, and many Chinese cabbage dishes have emerged that are favored by consumers. As the hometown of Chinese cabbage in Jiaozhou, Gao Zhengang, the manager of Huanghai Restaurant in Jiaonan City, who is well-known in the catering industry, takes the promotion of local specialties as his own responsibility, and uses green and natural organic Chinese cabbage as the research and development object. He has developed a series of Chinese cabbage dishes, which are deeply popular. Popular with consumers, it has boosted the hotel's operating efficiency, making the hotel prosperous in both people and money, and business is booming, making it the flagship of the local catering industry.

We now select several of its Chinese cabbage dishes for the purpose of communicating and learning with peers.