Dry Pot Baby Cabbage Recipe

When I was a kid, whenever there were guests at home, my mother would always cook a pot of fragrant dry pot baby cabbage. That is the warmest picture in my memory. Every time I smell that familiar smell, my heart is filled with happiness. Today, I want to share this taste of home with everyone.

Why I love this recipe

Dry pot baby cabbage is a very popular Sichuan dish, famous for its unique spicy flavor and rich taste. The name of this dish comes from its cooking method - using a special cooking utensil called a dry pot, which allows the dish to maintain high temperature during the cooking process, thus making the flavor of the ingredients more intense.

I remember the first time I tasted dry pot baby cabbage was in a busy Sichuan restaurant. The sweetness of the baby cabbage, the richness of the pork belly, and the spicy flavors of dried red pepper, green onion, ginger and garlic were simply irresistible! Since then, I have deeply fallen in love with this delicacy.

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

The ingredients you need to make the perfect dry pot baby cabbage include:

Main ingredients:

Baby cabbage: The tender leaves and crisp stems of baby cabbage add a refreshing taste and green color.

Fungus: Fungus has a crisp taste and rich fiber, which increases the taste and nutritional value.

Pork Belly: The fat and meatiness of pork belly adds a rich flavor and texture.

Dried chili peppers and onions : provide spiciness and aroma to dishes and increase the flavor of the dishes.

Seasoning:

Ginger , onion, and garlic : They have a spicy taste, can remove fishy smell and enhance fragrance, and provide a unique flavor to dishes.

Salt , sugar, and steamed fish soy sauce : used for seasoning and enhancing the taste of dishes.

Substitutes:

Baby cabbage : It can be replaced with tender leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage .

Fungus substitute : Black fungus, white fungus or other mushroom ingredients can be used instead .

Onion : You can use scallions or green onions instead .

Pork belly : can be replaced with lean pork slices or chicken breast .

Dried chili : can be replaced with chili powder, chili sauce or chili oil .

Steamed fish soy sauce : can be replaced with light soy sauce or other soy sauce seasonings .

Tips for Success

Fresh ingredients are key: vegetables such as baby cabbage, black fungus, onions, etc. should be fresh, so that the dishes will be more tender and delicious. Pork belly should also be fat and lean, so that the fried meat will have the aroma of fat but not be too greasy.

Careful knife skills: Baby cabbage should be cut into moderate sizes, which is convenient for eating and ensures even heating during cooking. Fungus and onions should also be cut into strips or slices, so that they can more easily absorb the flavor of the seasoning when stir-fried.

The heat should be moderate: When cooking dry pot baby cabbage, the heat is crucial. Start by quickly stir-frying the pork belly and spices such as green onion, ginger, and garlic over high heat to bring out their aroma. Then add the vegetables and stir-fry over medium heat to avoid burning the vegetables and ensure that they can fully absorb the flavor of the spices.

The seasoning should be precise: the amount of salt, sugar, steamed fish soy sauce and other seasonings should be moderate, which can highlight the freshness of the dish without being too salty or sweet. The amount of dried chili should also be adjusted according to personal taste. If you like spicy food, you can add more, and if you don’t like spicy food, you can add less or no.

Dry pot should be fried to bring out the aroma: The characteristic of dry pot is to stir-fry to bring out the aroma, so during the frying process, you should keep stirring to allow the aroma of the ingredients to fully blend. At the same time, be careful not to fry too dry, and keep some soup, so that the taste of the dish will be more moist.

Thicken before serving: Although the dry pot baby cabbage has less soup, you can thicken it appropriately before serving. This will make the soup thicker and the flavor attached to the ingredients will be richer.