Hot and Sour Cabbage (Printable Version)

Crisp cabbage in tangy, spicy sauce with ginger and garlic. A quick Chinese-inspired stir-fry bursting with flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage, 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
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 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

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

# Step-by-Step Directions:

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 minced garlic and ginger, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and carrot. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables begin to wilt while maintaining crisp texture.
05 - Pour in prepared sauce and toss to coat evenly. Stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until cabbage reaches tender-crisp consistency.
06 - Add black pepper, salt, and scallions. Stir well and cook for 1 additional minute.
07 - Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and additional scallions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something you actually crave, with heat and tang that wake up your taste buds.
  • The whole thing comes together in twenty minutes, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without thinking twice.
  • It stays crisp and bright, never soggy or sad, even if you reheat it the next day.
02 -
  • Don't let the garlic and ginger sit in the oil too long or they'll burn and turn bitter, ruining the whole dish.
  • Keep the heat high and keep everything moving, stir-frying is about speed and constant motion, not patience.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it and adjust the chili paste, some brands are way hotter than others.
03 -
  • Slice the cabbage as thin as you can manage, it cooks faster and soaks up the sauce better.
  • Taste as you go and add more chili paste, vinegar, or salt at the end to get it exactly how you like it.
  • Use a wok if you have one, the high sides make tossing easier and the heat distributes more evenly.
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