Quick Cabbage with Tangy Sauce
A fast, flavorful stir-fry featuring tender napa cabbage coated in a balanced sweet-sour sauce. This classic dish comes together in minutes and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Story
This quick stir-fry is a weeknight lifesaver. The combo of white and black vinegars gives it that signature tangy flavor, while a touch of sugar balances everything out. Have all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking—this dish moves fast!
Ingredients
napa cabbage (about 300g)
1/2 medium head, chopped into 2-inch pieces
dried red chilies
3-4 pieces
garlic cloves
3, finely minced
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
water
3 tablespoons
white vinegar
1 tablespoon
black Chinese vinegar (chinkiang)
2 tablespoons
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
dark soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon
sugar
1/2 teaspoon
salt
1/2 teaspoon
cornstarch
1 tablespoon, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
1
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together water, white vinegar, black vinegar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
2
Bloom the aromatics
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the dried chilies and garlic, stir-frying just until fragrant—about 30 seconds. Watch carefully so the garlic doesn't burn.
3
Cook the cabbage
Add the cabbage to the wok and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the leaves are wilted and the stems are just tender but still have a slight crunch.
4
Finish with sauce
Give the sauce mixture one more time, then pour it over the cabbage. Stir-fry constantly for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats every piece of cabbage. Serve immediately while hot.
