Jul 24, 2021

Sichuan Sweet and Sour Cabbage

 

I love a good head of cabbage. Who doesn't? Ah yes, those who get giant heads of cabbage week after week in their CSA box. Been there, done that. I wish I knew this recipe back then. This is a variation of a dish that I "discovered" in a local Chinese restaurant specializing in Chengdu/Sichuan Cuisine. 

2020: the year where I learned to cook several new cuisines including Chinese. This dish is a work in progress, but here's the last version that got as close as it was going to get. I never measure things, so all of the measurements are guesstimates. Let your eyes, tongue, and nose guide you.

Use a wok if you have one. I don't, but I use a cast iron skillet (10" or 13") for all my stir-frying.

Serves 2-4 (Depends if this is a side dish or main and also on the head of cabbage you have)

Ingredients

Cabbage - 1-2" large pieces, whatever you fancy. About 4-6 cups. Try and separate out each layer. Leave the rib in, the crunch is lovely. 
Garlic - 6 cloves, slices
Red Sichuan peppercorns -1 tbsp (or more)
Dry Red Sichuan Chilli pepper - 1-2 
Neutral oil (I use avocado) - 1 tbspn
Green onions for garnish

Sauce

Soy sauce  - 1/4 cup
Vinegar, distilled or black - 1-3 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
Sugar - 1-4 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Corn starch - 1-2 tsp
Mix the sauce components except corn starch. Once it is to your liking, add the corn starch powder and mix until it's dissolved.

 Method

1. Heat up the pan  on medium high and add oil. Once it's heated, add the sichuan pepper corns. Saute for about 1 minute and remove from the oil. You want the oil flavored but if the peppercorns burn, it turns the whole dish bitter. 

2. In the spiced oil, add garlic and dried red chilli pepper. Saute for 30 seconds and then add the cabbage. 

3. Cook for a 3 mins or so. You want it slightly under done because you still have to cook it for a couple more minutes with the sauce added. Stir the sauce and add to the pan with the cabbage. Keep stirring as the corn starch starts to thicken up the sauce and coat the cabbage. If you need to thin in out, you can add some water at this point. 

4. Once cooked, add scallions at the top and serve with hot jasmine rice.

1 comment:

Charles said...

*ancient RSS reader suddenly comes back to life indicating a post on spicemonkey*

:o

Recipe looks good! In the absence of a wok, is there any reason you're using cast iron as opposed to stainless steel?