Local baby white bok choy is a young, compact variety of Chinese cabbage with pale white stalks and tender dark green leaves. Bok choy's name comes from the Cantonese for "white vegetable," a nod to the crisp white stalks that anchor each small head. Baby bok choy is harvested early, before the stalks widen and toughen, so the whole head stays tender enough to cook quickly rather than needing a long braise. The stalks and leaves cook at different rates: a fast stir-fry with garlic and ginger, or a quick steam, keeps the leaves silky while the stalks stay slightly crisp. It also holds up well halved and roasted at high heat, or dropped whole into soups and noodle dishes in the last few minutes of cooking. Pairs well with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and scallion.