Whether raw, steamed, stir-fried, or dropped in piping hot stew, curry or soup just before serving, I love me some cabbage. A quick stir-fry is a good accompaniment to many meals and is often my go-to way of cooking and eating cabbage. The purple cabbage I prefer to shred and eat raw, not cooked.
Hot and sour cabbage is a popular Chinese vegetable dish and the name says exactly what the dish is – hot (from the hot peppers) and sour (from the vinegar). When you make it, serve it as a side dish, eat it as is, or with plain rice; so yummy.
Cook this dish on high heat and slice/shred the cabbage coarsely and not too thin because it has to stand up to the sauce when added.
INGREDIENTS
For sauce:
- 3 teaspoons regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (sub with balsamic or apple cider)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Hot and Sour Cabbage Photo by Cynthia Nelson 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
For stir-fry:
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon tap water
- 2 tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Minced hot pepper to taste
- 2 green onions/scallions, sliced thinly
- 1 pound cabbage, shredded
- Salt to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS
For sauce:
Mix together the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
For stir-fry:
Mix together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry and set aside (remember to give the mixture a stir before adding it to the pan).
Add oil to a large pan such as a karahi and place on medium heat until hot but not smoking. Toss in garlic, pepper and green onions and stir fry for 1 minute.
Raise heat to high, add cabbage and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the sauce and toss; cook for 1 minute then add the cornstarch slurry, cook for another minute or until sauce is thickened. Serve hot!
NOTE
Taste for salt before adding. If needed, add the salt just before adding the cornstarch mixture.
