Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe: Delicious Stir-Fry with Cured Pork Belly!
This stir-fried cabbage is arguably the most popular cabbage recipe in the Taiwanese cuisine. The crunchy taste of fresh cabbage and the meaty flavor of cured pork belly take this dish to the next level. As there is no marination required for this dish, you can make it very quickly.
Check this Taiwanese cabbage recipe out to discover simple yet elegant flavors. This delicious side dish is also packed with vital nutrients to boost your immunity and keep you healthy. Let’s make the recipe together in a few simple steps.
Table of Contents
Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe Overview
The following chart contains key factors of this recipe, such as the prep time, cooking time, servings, calorie count, etc. Before we dive into the recipe, this might be helpful.
| Cuisine: Taiwanese | Difficulty: Easy | ||
| Total Time: 15 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 3 persons | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 224 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe
Cabbage and cured pork belly are the show-stoppers in this recipe. The spices and sauces required for this recipe are easily available, and you won’t have a hard time organizing everything. The following list will help you.
Main Ingredients for the Recipe
- Taiwanese Cabbage: I used half of a medium cabbage. The sweeter taste of the Taiwanese cabbage is important for this recipe.
- Cured Pork Belly: 150g of pork belly is enough for three servings. You can also use ham if cured pork belly isn’t available.
- Ginger: Take one chunk of ginger (about 1 inch) and slice it thinly.
- Garlic: Use 3-4 cloves of garlic. You can chop or crush the garlic.
- Scallion: 2-3 sprigs of scallion, thinly chopped
- Oil: 1/2 (half) tbsp of oil. You can use sesame oil or any other vegetable oil.
Sauces and Seasonings for the Recipe
- Red Chili: 2-3 red chilies, thinly chopped
- Sichuan Peppercorn: 5-6 Sichuan peppercorns
- Salt: 1/4 (One-fourth) tsp
- Sugar: 1/4 (One-fourth) tsp
- Soy Sauce: 1/2 (Half) tbsp of light soy sauce and 1/2 (Half) tbsp of dark soy sauce
- Vinegar: 1 tbsp of dark vinegar
Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
The preparation is the longest part of the recipe. Let’s get started with the preparation and make our way into the cooking part. Here are the detailed steps.
Step 1: Prepare the Cabbage
Cut a Taiwanese cabbage in halves and then in quarters. Remove the stalk diagonally. Then, separate the leaves and wash them well. After washing the leaves, you can cut them into 2-inch ribbons or tear them with your hand. Hand-torn cabbage is more commonly used in Taiwanese cuisine.
Step 2: Slice the Pork Belly
Lay the cured pork belly on the cutting board and cut it into thin slices. Each slice should be about one-fourth of an inch thick. Some people prefer to dice the pork belly but I will keep them sliced.
Step 3: Heat Oil In the Wok
Place a wok on the stove and keep the flame high. Add 1/2 tbsp of oil to the wok and wait until the oil starts to smoke.
Step 4: Cook the Sliced Pork
Put the slices of cured pork belly into the wok and stir-fry them for about 1-2 minutes. Rendering the pork fat is super important because it gives this dish an amazing flavor.
Step 5: Add the Aromatics
Once the pork slices start to release fat, put the sliced ginger and garlic into the wok. Then, add the chopped scallions and continue stirring. After about one minute, add the chopped red chili and Sichuan peppercorns. Keep stirring the ingredients.
Step 6: Cook the Cabbage
Transfer torn cabbage leaves to the wok and mix everything well. Taiwanese cabbage leaves don’t take much time to cook. Stir-fry them for about one minute until the leaves turn translucent.
Step 7: Put the Sauces and Seasonings
Start by adding 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar. Then, add both the light and dark soy sauce. If necessary, you can add a few splashes of oil to the wok.
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Put a few splashes of dark vinegar around the edge of the wok and combine everything. In about 45 seconds to one minute, the stir-fried cabbage will be ready.
Step 8: Plate and Serve!
Quickly remove the cabbage from the heat and transfer it to the serving plate. It is best enjoyed if served hot. Pair rice, noodles, or meat dishes with this. You can even consume it without anything else.
Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cut a Taiwanese cabbage in halves and then in quarters. Remove the stalk diagonally. Then, separate the leaves and wash them well. After washing the leaves, you can cut them into 2-inch ribbons or tear them with your hand. Hand-torn cabbage is more commonly used in Taiwanese cuisine.
- Lay the cured pork belly on the cutting board and cut it into thin slices. Each slice should be about one-fourth of an inch thick. Some people prefer to dice the pork belly but I will keep them sliced.
- Place a wok on the stove and keep the flame high. Add 1/2 tbsp of oil to the wok and wait until the oil starts to smoke.
- Put the slices of cured pork belly into the wok and stir-fry them for about 1-2 minutes. Rendering the pork fat is super important because it gives this dish an amazing flavor.
- Once the pork slices start to release fat, put the sliced ginger and garlic into the wok. Then, add the chopped scallions and continue stirring. After about one minute, add the chopped red chili and Sichuan peppercorns. Keep stirring the ingredients.
- Transfer torn cabbage leaves to the wok and mix everything well. Taiwanese cabbage leaves don’t take much time to cook. Stir-fry them for about one minute until the leaves turn translucent.
- Start by adding 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar. Then, add both the light and dark soy sauce. If necessary, you can add a few splashes of oil to the wok.
- Put a few splashes of dark vinegar around the edge of the wok and combine everything. In about 45 seconds to one minute, the stir-fried cabbage will be ready.
- Quickly remove the cabbage from the heat and transfer it to the serving plate. It is best enjoyed if served hot. Pair rice, noodles, or meat dishes with this. You can even consume it without anything else.
Nutrition Facts of Taiwanese Cabbage Recipe
Taiwanese cabbage is rich in Vitamin C. This antioxidant helps repair our skin and boost our immune systems. There are many other nutrients in this dish. Here is a sneak peek into the nutritional value of the Taiwanese cabbage recipe.
- Total Carbohydrates: 6g
- Protein: 5g
- Total Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 6g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Total Sugar: 3g
- Cholesterol: 24mg
- Sodium: 455mg
- Potassium: 192mg
- Calcium: 32mg
- Iron: 0.7mg
- Vitamin A: 205IU
- Vitamin C: 27.9mg
The protein and fat content in this dish are beneficial for growing children.
FAQs
When you learn a new recipe, you should also know the answers to some of the associated questions. I answered a few such questions below. Check them out.
Can you eat Taiwanese cabbage raw?
As Taiwanese cabbage has a sweeter flavor profile than regular cabbage, you can eat it raw. Adding Taiwanese cabbage to your salads can be a good way to consume this leafy vegetable. Remember to wash the cabbage leaves thoroughly before eating them raw.
How to wash Taiwanese cabbage before cooking?
There is a common misconception that washing the whole cabbage is enough. You should separate the leaves first and then rinse them thoroughly with clean water. It removes any dirt on the inside of the leaves. You can rub the leaves gently but don’t damage them.
How long will it be good?
As this is a stir-fried dish, the Taiwanese cabbage will be good for about 12 hours after cooking. If you want to store the dish for longer, you can keep it in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Freezing it will store the dish for about 6 months. But I recommend eating the dish fresh to get the genuine taste.
Can I eat Taiwanese cabbage stir-fry daily?
Even though the dish is tasty and easy to make, you shouldn’t eat this daily. Its fat and sodium content is a bit high. So, eating this daily might not be good for your heart. Eating it once or twice a week won’t affect you too much.
Conclusion
I can’t express how much I love this cabbage recipe, not just because it can be made quickly but because it also tastes splendid. The slightly crunchy texture of the cabbage goes extremely well with the juicy pork belly. The aromatics and seasonings add a nice heat to the dish.
So, I would recommend you try this Taiwanese cabbage recipe and indulge in the savory flavor of this stir-fried dish. From lunch on a busy day to a cozy dinner on the weekend, this dish fits your dining table all the time. Make it yourself and enjoy it until I come up with new and exciting recipes. Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates on our recipes.
