Chinese Sauteed Cabbage with Vinegar Sauce (醋溜卷心菜)
My Chinese Sauteed Cabbage is a quick and satisfying veggie dish for any occasion. The cabbage is tender and slightly sweet, while the vinegar and fresh aromatics lend pops of flavor.
To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce and skip the dark soy sauce.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small head cabbage , yield about 1 lb / 450 g once cut (*Footnote 1)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce) (Optional) (*Footnote 2)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir-fry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 to 3 dried chili peppers
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix well.
- Cut cabbage into bite size pieces by cutting the whole head of cabbage into half, then quarters. Place one of the quarters cut side down, tilt the knife to slice off the stem and discard it. Separate the outer few layers of leaves, then cut them into bite-size pieces. Then chop the center thicker into smaller pieces.
- Add peanut oil and Sichuan peppercorns into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook until the Sichuan peppercorns turn dark but not burned. Scoop out the peppers into a small bowl, then discard them.
- Add the chili peppers and garlic. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
- Add cabbage. Stir and cook until the leaves just start to turn tender.
- Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch thoroughly, pour into the pan. Continue to stir and cook until the cabbage turns tender but still crispy, and the sauce has thickened.
- Turn off heat. Carefully taste the cabbage and adjust seasoning by adding more salt, if necessary. Drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and stir to mix again. Transfer everything to a serving plate.
- Serve hot as a side dish.
Notes
- I used a small head about 2 lbs 7 oz. / 1 kg. To get the best result, find a young cabbage with loose leaves and the surface of the leaves is pale yellow green, tender in texture, quite smooth and a bit shiny on the surface.
- Dark soy sauce adds a nice brown color to the sauce and a light caramelized taste. Alternatively, you can use 2 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce to replace both light and dark soy sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 10.3g, Protein: 2.1g, Fat: 5.8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 472mg, Potassium: 216mg, Fiber: 2.9g, Sugar: 5.8g, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 1mg