Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimp

Prepare

1. 🥄Dried shrimp gives this Chinese dish a punch of salty umami flavor.
2. 🔥You can find it at an Asian grocery store in the frozen or refrigerated section.

Steps

1. 🔥Look for small-sized dried shrimp, about a 1/4-inch in size.
2. 🧂If you use medium or large dried shrimp, hydrate the shrimp with more water (1 cup for medium-sized shrimp, 1 1/4 cup for large) and for longer time (45 to 60 minutes),

Prepare

1. 🧂then chop it up into smaller 1/4-inch chunks.
2. 🍳To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the dried shrimp and use four or five dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, and sliced thin.

Steps

1. 🍳Rehydrate the dried shrimp:

Cook

1. 🫇Place the dried shrimp in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over it.

Serve

1. 🍽️Cover with a small plate and let sit for 30 minutes so the shrimp can rehydrate.

Steps

1. 🌿The shrimp will be lighter in color and plump up slightly.

Prepare

1. ✨Prep the cabbage:

Steps

1. 🥄Meanwhile, split the napa cabbage in half lengthwise.
2. 🔥Rinse the cabbage and shake it dry.

Prepare

1. 🔥Cut out the core of the cabbage and discard.

Steps

1. 🧂Set out two large bowls.

Prepare

1. 🍳Cut the remaining cabbage into 1-inch pieces, putting the thicker white pieces at the bottom of the cabbage into one bowl and the top thinner leafy green pieces into the other bowl.

Steps

1. 🫇Drain the shrimp:
2. 🍽️Once the shrimp has rehydrated, drain it and discard the liquid.

Cook

1. 🍽️Cook the shrimp and cabbage:

Steps

1. 🌿In a large wok or skillet over high heat add the peanut oil, swirling it around to coat the pan.
2. ✨Heat until the oil looks shimmering hot,
3. 🥄then carefully add the scallions, ginger, and rehydrated shrimp, paying specially attention as the wet ingredients may cause the hot oil to splatter.

Prepare

1. ✨Toss with a spatula until the scallions are bright green and the entire mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Steps

1. 🥄Add the thicker white part of the napa cabbage to the pan and lower the heat to medium high.

Cook

1. 🔥Continue to cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the edges of the cabbage pieces start to look slightly translucent but the center of the cabbage pieces are still opaque white.

Steps

1. 🧂Reduce the heat to medium low and add the leafy green pieces of cabbage into the pan.

Cook

1. 🍳Cook until the leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes.

Steps

1. 🫇Make a cornstarch slurry:

Prepare

1. 🍽️In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, cold water, and cornstarch, stirring to make a slurry.

Cook

1. 🌿Then pour over the cabbage and continue to cook and stir until a sauce has thickened slightly to the consistency of whole milk.

Prepare

1. ✨Season the stir fry:
2. 🥄Season the stir fry with salt and pepper, then taste and add more salt and pepper if you wish.

Steps

1. 🥄The cabbage will be translucent and silky looking, with specks of dried shrimp all over.