Recipe: Mala Cabbage Explosion

I don't usually order Napa Cabbage/Wongbok dishes when I'm out since I usually make so much cabbage kimchi. But when someone at my dinner party did so, boy was I surprised by its honest, bold flavours. The key to this dish is quality Sichuan peppercorns to deliver shiok numbing effects, plus Kimchi Umami Salt to gift subtle, nuanced flavours to the sweet, crunchy cabbage. This recipe is my personal interpretation/attempt to re-create this dish.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 head napa cabbage/wongbok, chopped
• 5 to 10 dried red chilli, cut into halves or thirds
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon sichuan red and or green peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• Wanting Kimchi Kimchi Umami Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat wok and dry fry dried chilli and peppercorns over medium heat till fragrant.
2. Add oil, garlic and ginger.
3. Turn up heat to max and add cabbage (you can fry the stems first and leaves last if you wish)
4. Sprinkle Kimchi Umami Salt to taste
5. Stir-fry cabbage till it's almost cooked, the residual heat will finish the job.
6. Serve hot with steaming hot rice and other dishes such as our Seasoned Cuttlefish Banchan