Is pan cai a radish? Learn the difference between pan cai and radish in one article

The root of pan cai is like a round radish, and its appearance is also very similar to radish, so many people wonder, is pan cai just radish? If the two are not the same thing, then what is the difference?

1. Is pan cai a radish?

Pan cai is not a radish. Radish is a biennial or annual herbaceous plant of the genus Raphanus in the family Brassicaceae, while pan cai is a biennial herbaceous plant of the subspecies Rapifera under Brassica rapa in the genus Brassica of the family Brassicaceae that can form a fleshy root. The two are in the same family but different genera. Radish generally has cylindrical siliques, while pan cai is named for its plate-like shape. In addition, radish is grown throughout the country, while pan cai is only grown in southern regions such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Pan cai generally reaches 90 cm in height, and its root tuber is fleshy, spherical or oblate in shape, and sometimes also oblong. The stem of pan cai is erect, with branches in the upper part, and the basal leaves are green; radish generally grows 20-100 cm tall and also has a fleshy taproot, but its shapes include oblong, spherical, and conical, with green, white, or red outer skin, and green basal leaves. The two can be said to be very similar, and it is indeed difficult to tell them apart without careful identification.

2. Common ways to cook pan cai

According to Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica, pan cai came from “Xifan Tuyuhun”, and there are also related records in The Book of the Later Han · Annals of Emperor Huan, so it can be inferred that pan cai was probably introduced when Zhang Qian opened communications with the Western Regions. Pan cai has a very long history and many ways of preparation. Here we will briefly introduce several common ways to cook pan cai.

Common ways to cook pan cai include stir-fried pan cai with green peppers and pork belly, and stir-fried pan cai with edamame, among others. To make stir-fried pan cai with green peppers and pork belly, first cut the pan cai into shreds on a cutting board, heat oil in a wok, add the cut pork belly and stir-fry, add seasonings such as cooking wine and light soy sauce, stir-fry for a while, then add the cut green peppers and pan cai, add salt and chicken essence, and it is ready to serve. To make stir-fried pan cai with edamame, first heat oil in a wok, add the washed edamame and stir-fry, add an appropriate amount of water and cook until the edamame is just cooked and tender, add the cut pan cai and stir-fry briefly, add seasonings such as salt and monosodium glutamate, and it is ready to serve.

That is all for pan cai. Next time you go to the vegetable market, do not confuse pan cai and radish.