A delicious stir-fried Chinese cabbage that’s even better than what you’d get in a restaurant
This stir-fried Chinese cabbage is the perfect side for all your Asian dishes, and especially your Chinese dishes, because it’s a staple on restaurant tables.
The aim of this simple Asian stir-fried cabbage is to stay crisp yet fully cooked, achieved with a very quick, high-heat wok fry.
You’ll end up with extra sauce, so you can spoon it over rice for a quick vegetarian meal, but it truly shines alongside dishes like beef with onions, caramel chicken, caramel pork, or classic General Tso’s chicken. It also deserves a spot as a side dish at a traditional Chinese New Year meal.
Tips for successful stir-fried Chinese cabbage
Pay attention to your wok size; you don’t want to overload it. We want stir-fried cabbage, not boiled. If you add too much cabbage, the wok temperature will drop and the vegetable will release water, which will end up boiling the Chinese cabbage. It’s the same principle as stir-fried pak choi
Mix the thickener ahead of time. I know it’s tempting to measure and add it during cooking, but for proper thickening it’s better to mix it before you start cooking
The main ingredients of the stir-fried Chinese cabbage
Oyster sauce: the central flavor of the recipe – do not skip it! A vegetarian version is available if needed
Chinese cabbage: an Asian variety that is fairly easy to find; you can use white cabbage if you prefer, but the flavor will be slightly different
Light soy sauce: the classic salty soy sauce you can find almost anywhere
Sesame oil: use virgin or toasted, depending on your taste; I prefer toasted
Potato starch: used to thicken the sauce; it gives a slightly different texture than cornstarch, though the latter will work in a pinch
Takeout-Style Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage
Matériel
Ingredients
- 450 g Chinese cabbage cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil for cooking
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
- White sesame seeds for garnish
- Black sesame seeds for colour contrast
To thicken the sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons water
Procédé
- Cut the cabbage into bite-size pieces.
- Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and let it heat for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, whisk the starch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry.1 tablespoon potato starch, 6 tablespoons water
- When the wok is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the surface evenly.2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Stir-fry the cabbage for 4–5 minutes.450 g Chinese cabbage
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute.1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- Pour in the slurry and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens.
- Drizzle in the sesame oil, toss to coat, and turn off the heat.1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Season with salt and white pepper, scatter over the sesame seeds, and serve immediately.Salt, White pepper, White sesame seeds, Black sesame seeds
