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Cu liu baicai (vinegar cabbage)
Vinegar-fried cabbage
Cu liu baicai 醋溜白菜: northern Chinese napa cabbage flash-fried with black vinegar and dried chilli
Through the long winters of Shandong, Hebei and Beijing, napa cabbage was the vegetable stored in every courtyard, and cu liu baicai is how northern homes turn it into a bright, quick dish in ten minutes. The thick white stalks are sliced thin and seared hard in a smoking wok, then splashed with black vinegar so they stay crunchy, juicy and sharp, with a little sweetness and the warmth of dried chilli. It goes with rice, steamed buns or dumplings. The classic mistake is crowding a cool wok, which stews the cabbage in its own water; cook in two batches if your pan is small. Chef's tip: add half the vinegar around the hot edge of the wok so it sizzles and turns fragrant, and the rest at the end for fresh tang.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb napa cabbageabout half a head
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 dried red chilliessnipped in half, seeds shaken out
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornflourmixed with 2 tbsp water
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Separate the leaves of 1 ⅛ lb napa cabbage. Slice the white stalks on a sharp angle into thin slices about 5 mm thick, and tear the green leaves into large pieces. Keep them apart.
Step 2: Mix 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 ½ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp salt and the 1 tsp cornflour mixture in a cup.
Step 3: Heat a wok over a high heat until it smokes, then add 2 tbsp neutral oil. Add 4 dried red chillies and ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns if using and fry for 15 seconds until the chillies darken but don't blacken; scoop out the peppercorns.
1 minStep 4: Add 3 cloves garlic and the white stalks and stir-fry over the highest heat until the edges look translucent and lightly scorched in places.
3 minStep 5: Pour 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar around the hot sides of the wok so it hisses, then add the green leaves and toss until they just wilt.
1 minStep 6: Stir the sauce, pour it in with the rest of 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar and toss for 30 seconds, until glossy. The stalks should still be crisp. Serve at once.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cu liu baicai (vinegar cabbage) take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of napa cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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