Hot and Sour Cabbage (Printable)

Vibrant Chinese stir-fry with crisp cabbage in a tangy, spicy sauce. Bold flavors in just 20 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage (about 28 oz), cored and thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 3 scallions, sliced diagonally
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
07 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon chili paste or chili garlic sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Seasonings and Oil

11 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - Additional sliced scallions

# Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, sugar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Add garlic and ginger, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and carrot. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to wilt but remain crisp.
05 - Pour in the prepared sauce and toss to coat evenly. Stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until the cabbage is tender-crisp.
06 - Add black pepper, salt, and scallions. Stir well and cook for 1 more minute.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and extra scallions if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms humble cabbage into something you'll crave, with layers of heat and tang that wake up your taste buds.
  • The whole thing comes together in 20 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you need flavor fast.
  • It's flexible enough to stand alone as a light meal or play nicely alongside almost anything you're grilling or steaming.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan or your cabbage will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose that essential crunch.
  • Prep everything before you turn on the heat because once that wok is hot, things move fast and there's no time to chop.
03 -
  • Taste your sauce before adding it to the wok so you can adjust the balance of sour, salty, and spicy to your liking.
  • Use the hottest burner you have and work in batches if your pan isn't large enough, because high heat is what makes stir-fries sing.
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