Stir-fried green cabbage

Most people who are put off by the strong smell of boiled cabbage often encountered in restaurants or canteens (not to mention by early memories of school dinners) will be pleasantly surprised to find that if prepared and cooked in the Chinese way, the ordinary cabbage has a special flavour and the crunchy texture is quite different from that of the usual mushy bits, not to mention the fresh, natural colour that has been retained by this quick stir-frying method.

In Britain, the cabbage season lasts almost all year round too: from April to the end of Summer there are the oval-shaped spring cabbage of brilliant green; from September to February the winter cabbage which is round with a firm heart. Between these two seasons there are enough other varieties, some early and some late, to ensure a continual supply.

1 small green cabbage (about 1lb/450g)
1 spring onion
3 tbsp oil
a few Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp light soy sauce

Method

Choose a cabbage that is young and fresh and discard any tough outer leaves. Wash it under the cold tap before cutting it into thin strips as for sauerkraut or coleslaw. Finely chop the spring onion.

Heat up a wok or frying pan, pour in the oil and swirl it in the wok or pan to cover most of the area. When the oil is hot, throw in the peppercorns, if using, then after a few seconds scoop them out before they are burnt and discard. Now throw in the finely chopped spring onion, followed almost immediately by the cabbage, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Add salt and soy sauce, stir a few more times, and it is done. Do not overcook, otherwise the cabbage will lose its crispnessas well as a great deal of its vitamin content, but keep the heat as high as you possibly can all the time.

© Deh-Ta Hsiung and reproduced with his kind permission.