Hot and Sour Cabbage (Print)

Crisp cabbage stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and a bold tangy-spicy sauce. Quick, vibrant, and satisfying.

# Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage (about 1.75 pounds), 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 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt or to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Instructions:

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 until shimmering.
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 additional minute.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and extra scallions if desired. Serve hot.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, so you can actually eat dinner instead of planning it.
  • The cabbage stays crisp and crunchy, not mushy, which is honestly the whole point of stir-frying.
  • One bowl holds your entire sauce, meaning minimal cleanup for maximum flavor impact.
02 -
  • Don't wander away once you add the cabbage—stir-frying is only three or four minutes of actual attention, but those minutes matter because the difference between crisp-tender and wilted-soft happens in about sixty seconds.
  • If your sauce smells harsh or vinegary even before it hits the wok, taste the rice vinegar itself—some brands are way sharper than others, which means you might need to dial back the amount or add a touch more sugar to balance it.
03 -
  • Keep your ingredients prepped and lined up in order before you turn the heat on—stir-frying won't wait for you to mince garlic or slice cabbage while the oil gets angry in the wok.
  • If your wok is small, work in batches with the cabbage because crowding the pan makes everything steam instead of fry, and you lose that caramelized, crispy quality that makes this special.
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