Cabbage glass noodle stir fry is not something you see often on a Chinese takeout menu. We call this type of dish 家常菜, jia chang cai, or homestyle cooking. They are simple dishes that use minimal everyday ingredients, so a home cook can throw it together even on a busy weekday evening. One of the most important components of an everyday Chinese dinner is vegetable dishes. In my family, my mom always cooks at least one, most of the time two, vegetable dishes to serve along with the main dish (usually a protein dish), plus a soup and steamed rice. This cabbage glass noodle stir fry is one of my favorites. The tender glass noodles soak up the delicious sauce and pair perfectly with the crunchy cabbage. I can always polish a big plate of it in one sitting by myself.
Cabbage glass noodle stir fry ingredients
What type of noodles to use
Glass noodles (粉丝, fen si) also called cellophane noodles, mung bean noodles, bean thread noodles, or Chinese vermicelli. They are different from regular Asian vermicelli noodles made from rice, as glass noodles are made with mung beans and have a more transparent appearance and a different texture. Glass noodles are usually sold in dried form. You need to soak them in boiling water to reconstitute them so they become tender. Then you can use them in soups, stir fried dishes, or spring rolls. Because glass noodles soak up whatever sauce you cook them in and become very flavorful, they are a great way to add texture and volume to a dish and make it even more delicious. I highly recommend using mung bean noodles in this dish. But if you don’t have any, it’s OK to use other thin types of vermicelli noodles such as rice vermicelli.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
Sliced cabbage Glass noodles (soaked) Sauce (light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar) Dried chili pepper Minced garlic
How to make cabbage glass noodle stir fry
How to serve cabbage glass noodle stir fry
The cabbage glass noodle stir fry is usually served as a side in a multi-course meal. For example, you can pair it with a main and a simple soup. Chinese Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs, Instant Pot Curry Beef Stew, and Coca-Cola Chicken Wings are some of the main dishes that you can prepare ahead of time and serve with this one. Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken or a simple egg drop soup is also an excellent addition to your dinner. On the other hand, cabbage glass noodle stir fry is highly versatile and you can easily make it into a more substantial one-pan meal for one person. For example, you can scramble some eggs or brown some ground pork (lightly seasoned with salt) first, and add it back to the cabbage and glass noodles at the end. Serve it with a small bowl of steamed rice (or without), and you’ll have a healthy mix of greens, protein and carbs.
More delicious Northern Chinese Veggie recipes
Stir Fried Choy Sum with Dried Shrimp Tomato and Egg Stir Fry Fried Potato, Eggplant, and Pepper in Garlic Sauce (Di San Xian) An Easy Asian Green Recipe Shredded Potato Stir Fry
