Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 (2-3 lb / 1-1.2 kg) small head napa cabbage
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 4 chili peppers (, dried)
  • 1 inch ginger (, minced)
  • 1 clove garlic (, minced)
  • 2 green onions (, sliced (some greens reserved for garnish))
  • 2 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instruction

  • Separate the leaves from the head of cabbage. Cut off the leafy green parts and save them in a ziplock bag for future use (*Footnote 1). Tilt your knife to slice the cabbage at a 45° angle into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces. (See blog post above for detailed pictures)
  • Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix well.
  • In a large carbon steel skillet or a wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the dried chili peppers. Once the chilis start to brown, add the ginger, garlic, and green onions. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the sliced cabbage and turn to high heat. Cook without moving for 30 seconds. Then saute for 2 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften but is still crunchy. Do not overcook the cabbage, which will cause it to release liquid and make the sauce watery.
  • Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch and pour it over the cabbage. Cook and stir until the cabbage is coated and the sauce thickens.
  • Immediately transfer everything to a big serving plate and serve it hot as a side dish.