Stir-fried Cabbage with Cashews

Stir-fried cabbage with cashews

This easy stir-fry works with any sort of cabbage.  Bok choy, brussel sprouts or broccoli would be perfect alternatives.  If you like, make an extra batch of sauce as a marinade for firm tofu cubes.  Marinate the tofu for 15 minutes or so, then stir-fry the cubes (discarding the marinade) in hot oil before you cook the vegetables—until they turn golden-brown and slightly crunchy on the outside.  Set the tofu aside while you cook the veggies, then add it back in with the nuts and peas.  Serve over rice or cooked spaghetti noodles or by itself as a side dish.

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable or other stock
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanut, canola or grape seed oil
  • red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon minced, peeled ginger root
  • 3 small cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 red bell pepper or 2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch long julienne
  •  1/2 cabbage, sliced into 1/4 inch wide shreds (about 5 cups)
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup cashew nuts, slightly broken
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Method:

  1. Combine stock, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl.  
  2. Heat a large stir-fry pan or skillet over medium-high heat.  Add canola (or other oil) and swirl it around the pan to coat the surfaces evenly.  Let the oil heat up, then add red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic and onion to the pan, and turn the heat on the burner up to high.  Cook for a minute, until the onion softens, then add the bell pepper or carrots.  Allow the pepper (carrot) and onion to lay in the pan, spread out in a shallow layer, and cook undisturbed for a minute or two, so they take on some deep brown spots.  Stir and repeat.  Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt.  The cabbage will nearly fill the pan.  Make sure the heat is cranked up fully to high and stir the cabbage and other veggies a few times to mix.  The cabbage will wilt slightly and reduce in volume as it cooks.  Resist the temptation to stir too much, allowing the cabbage to brown a bit against the surface of the pan.  Stir after a minute or so, turning the cabbage so the layer that is touching the pan is brought to the top and vice versa.  Cook for another minute or two (or three) until cabbage is crisp yet tender.
  3. Add the reserved sauce, nuts and peas, stirring to combine.  Stir-fry for one more minute.  Taste and add another dash of soy sauce or salt as needed.
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