Cabbage Rolls with Pork
The marriage of tender cabbage leaves and perfectly seasoned pork creates a dish that's greater than the sum of its parts. Let's uncover the secrets behind this timeless recipe.
What are Cabbage Rolls with Pork?
Cabbage Rolls with Pork are actually a dish made by wrapping seasoned pork filling with fresh Napa cabbage leaves. After steaming, they are drizzled with a spicy sauce.
This dish offers both the sweet, crisp and tender taste of Napa cabbage and the delicious, juicy flavor of the meat filling. It's simple yet delicious!
Why do you love this recipe?
Love its refreshing taste
After being steamed, the Napa cabbage remains succulent. Biting into it with the meat filling is not greasy at all. Especially when you have no appetite in hot weather, this dish, with meat, vegetables and a slightly spicy sauce, is really satisfying to eat.
The preparation process is seamless
There's no need to constantly watch the heat and turn the food. Just prepare the filling, roll it up and steam it. While steaming, you can spare time to cook other dishes and easily make a sauce with the cooking juices.
Easy to make variations
Occasionally add chopped shrimps to the meat filling or replace the chili sauce with garlic soy sauce, and the taste will be completely different. Whenever there's half a Napa cabbage left in the fridge, this dish immediately comes to mind.
Homely and warm
This dish is not only suitable for daily family meals but also for entertaining relatives and friends at gatherings, allowing everyone to enjoy the delicious taste of home.
Which type of cabbage should be used?
It is recommended to use cabbages with wide leaves. When selecting, try to choose fresh Napa cabbages with intact and tender outer leaves. This makes it easier to roll them up, and the taste will be more crispy and refreshing!
Using Napa cabbage can hold the meat filling more tightly and prevent it from falling apart.
Fresh leaves are more crispy and tender, resulting in a better taste and visual effect.
Ingredient Explanation and Substitutions
Napa Cabbage Leaves
If the leaves are too small or fragile, you can replace them with baby cabbages (stack 2 - 3 leaves) or use cabbage leaves. Blanch the cabbage leaves and trim the tough stems. Thawed frozen cabbage leaves can also be used in an emergency.
Pork Filling
Low-fat version: Grind chicken drumstick meat into a paste and add 1 tablespoon of starch to make the meat more tender.
Upgraded version: Mix with 30% chopped fresh shrimp to double the umami flavor.
Vegetarian version: Crumble firm tofu and add diced shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry until fragrant and then season.
Minced Ginger and Scallions
If you're short on time, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of bottled ginger and garlic sauce from the supermarket as a substitute, or use 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger powder and onion powder.
Chili Sauce
If you don't eat spicy food, you can use a substitute: 2 tablespoons of ketchup + 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce + 1/2 tablespoon of sugar to make a sweet and sour sauce. Sprinkling some white sesame seeds on top will make it even more fragrant.
Cornstarch Slurry
Cornstarch, potato starch or even lotus root starch can be used. In an emergency, you can mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water as a substitute.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·8 Chinese cabbage leaves (about 300g, remove the stems and keep the leaves)
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·200g ground pork (minced into a paste)
Additional Ingredients
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·5g minced ginger
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·5g minced white part of green onion
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·Chopped green onions, as needed (for garnish)
Seasonings
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·3g salt
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·2g sugar
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·5ml light soy sauce
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·3ml dark soy sauce
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·2ml sesame oil
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·2g white pepper
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·5ml cooking oil
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·10g chili sauce
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·Cornstarch slurry, as needed
Table of Contents
- ·What are Cabbage Rolls with Pork?
- ·Why do you love this recipe?
- ·Which type of cabbage should be used?
- ·Ingredient Explanation and Substitutions
- ·Ingredients
- ·Cooking step
- ·More Asian-Inspired Recipes
- ·How to Wrap the Cabbage Rolls with Pork?
- ·Tips from the Kitchen
- ·Storage and Reheating Tips
- ·FAQs
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Select 1 Chinese cabbage. Take out 8 Napa cabbage (remove the stems), set aside; Chop the white part of green onion and ginger into minced pieces. Mince 200 grams of pork into a paste.
Step 2
Put the minced meat into a bowl. Add 3 grams of salt, 2 grams of sugar, 5 grams of minced ginger, 5 grams of minced white part of green onion, 5 milliliters of light soy sauce, 3 milliliters of dark soy sauce, 2 milliliters of sesame oil and 2 grams of white pepper. Stir well in the same direction to make the meat filling.
Step 3
Pour a small half pot of water into a pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Put the Chinese cabbage leaves into the pot and blanch for 1.5 to 2 minutes until the leaves become soft. Take them out and quickly rinse them with cold water to keep them crisp and tender.
Step 4
After the cabbage leaves are completely cooled, lay them flat on a chopping board. Scoop 1 spoonful of the prepared meat filling onto each cabbage leaf. Arrange them neatly and then gently roll them up into meat rolls. Place the meat rolls on a plate.
Step 5
Put the meat rolls on the plate into a steamer and steam them over water for 12 minutes.
Step 6
Heat another pot and pour 5 milliliters of oil into it. Add 10 grams of chili sauce. When the oil is hot and starts to steam, pour the fresh juice exuded when steaming the Chinese cabbage into the pot. Stir well with the chili sauce. Then add an appropriate amount of Cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce and finally sprinkle an appropriate amount of chopped green onions and stir well.
Step 7
Evenly pour the prepared drizzling sauce over the steamed cabbage and pork rolls, and then you can enjoy them.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
How to Wrap the Cabbage Rolls with Pork?
First of all, make sure that the cabbage leaves have completely cooled down after blanching. This can not only keep them crisp and tender but also make the operation easier. Then follow these steps to wrap:
Lay each cooled cabbage leaf flat on the cutting board.
Scoop a spoonful of the prepared meat filling onto the cabbage leaf and place it as evenly as possible in the center of the leaf.
Gently start rolling from one end. Be careful not to use too much force to avoid tearing the cabbage leaf or causing the meat filling to fall apart.
Tips from the Kitchen
Tips for Selecting Cabbage Leaves
Choose cabbages with large and intact leaves. The outer older leaves are more suitable for wrapping (the inner tender leaves are prone to breakage). Add a small spoonful of oil when blanching the leaves, which will make them greener and brighter. Rinsing them with ice water can double the crispness.
Secret to Keeping the Meat Filling Intact
When stirring the meat filling, add 20ml of scallion and ginger water in several times (soak scallion and ginger minced in warm water for 10 minutes), which will make the meat filling more tender and smooth. If the meat filling is too wet, add 1 small spoonful of starch to enhance its viscosity.
Tricks to Prevent Leakage during Rolling
When spreading the meat filling, leave a 2cm gap from the petiole end. When rolling to the end, fold the two sides of the leaf inward and then roll it tightly. This can prevent it from falling apart during steaming.
Details for Locking in Freshness during Steaming
Brush a thin layer of oil on the steaming plate or place slices of carrots at the bottom to prevent the meat rolls from sticking. Put the meat rolls into the steamer after the water in the steamer is boiling and steam them over medium heat to avoid water droplets dripping and disrupting the meat filling.
Flexibility in Making the Drizzling Sauce
If you don't eat spicy food, you can replace the chili sauce with oyster sauce and minced garlic, or simply use the steaming juice and add a few drops of sesame oil. When thickening the sauce, slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry after turning off the heat and stir while pouring to make the sauce clearer.
Efficient Meal Preparation Method
Raw meat rolls can be sealed and frozen for 1 month. When eating, there is no need to defrost them, but just extend the steaming time by 3 minutes. Steamed meat rolls should not be refrigerated for more than 24 hours. When reheating, cover them with a wet gauze to prevent them from drying out.
Utilization of Leftovers
Shred the remaining cabbage stalks and make a cold dish with vinegar and chili oil. Mix the minced meat leftovers with tofu and roll them into meatballs for soup. Enjoy two dishes from one ingredient with zero waste!
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storage Methods
After the steamed meat rolls have cooled down, cover the plate with plastic wrap. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Put the sauce in a separate small bowl and seal it to prevent the cabbage leaves from becoming soft after being soaked.
For raw meat rolls (uncooked), wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap and put them in a sealed bag for freezing. They can be used within 1 month. When thawing, place them in the refrigerator overnight in advance and then steam them according to the original steps.
Reheating Tips
For refrigerated meat rolls, remove the plastic wrap and re-steam them over medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes. Before steaming, drizzle 1 teaspoon of water on the surface of the meat rolls to prevent the edges from drying out.
Lay the meat rolls flat separately on a plate, cover them with a wet kitchen paper, and heat them on medium-high power for 1.5 minutes. Heat the sauce in a separate bowl and then drizzle it on top to avoid the sauce splashing caused by the microwave.
FAQs:
Alternatively, directly place them in ice water to cool down after blanching. This will make them more elastic and less likely to break when wrapping the meat.
If you need to store them for a longer time, cover them with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Pan-frying will make the surface more crispy and fragrant, but you need to pay attention to the heat. When baking, you can brush some oil on them and bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes.
REVIEWS
