My Chinese Napa Cabbage with Glass Noodles is something I’m excited to share with you. Chinese cabbage is a comfort food dish that reminds me of home. Napa cabbage is a staple in northern China during the winter and my mom cooks it every week. We often eat it with rice. It’s hearty, healthy, and satisfying. Napa cabbage, which we often call Chinese cabbage, is very healthy and full of fiber. It turns a tender texture and tastes slightly sweet when braised. With the rich sauce and the addition of glass noodles, it can really fill you up while satisfying your craving for Chinese food. The best part is, it’s incredibly simple to make. In less than 30 minutes, you can create the true flavors of China in a healthy way. The sauce ingredients are very simple to find and you probably already have most of them in your pantry.
What type of glass noodles to use
Prepare the glass noodles
NOTE: Depending on the brand and the thickness of the noodles, the preparation method can vary a lot. If the noodles have instructions on the package, you should follow that method. If the package doesn’t come with instructions, I usually soak the dried noodles in hot water for 10 minutes. They will turn an al dente texture – soft, but not ready to eat. They will continue to cook and become much more tender after you add them to the pan with the napa cabbage. PS: You don’t have to include the noodles if you don’t want to. But I find they soak up the flavors and give the dish a heartier feel which makes it ideal for a main dish.
Magic ingredient – Sichuan peppercorns
Sichuan peppercorn (花椒, Huā Jiāo) is also known as Szechuan pepper. You can’t really call it spicy. Instead, it has slight lemony overtones and creates a tingly numbness in the mouth – which can almost be described as electric – that sets the stage for hot spices. It is a key ingredient in Sichuan cuisine, but we use it daily in northern cooking as well. Infusing the hot oil with Sichuan peppercorns will add a nutty fragrance and numbing tingling essence to the dish. It creates another dimension of flavor and makes the dish very fragrant. My mom taught me this method and I use it to make all kinds of veggie dishes taste better. For example, Chinese 4-Ingredient Fried Cabbage. You can find Sichuan peppercorns in most Asian markets, but I highly recommend the premium Sichuan peppercorns from The Mala Market. They are directly sourced from Sichuan and very fresh.
How to cut napa cabbage
Here is a quick way to cut napa cabbage.
Ingredients
When you’re done prepping, your table should have: NOTE: I combined the green onions and ginger in one small bowl, because you will add them in the same step.
Cooking process
Cooking Chinese napa cabbage with glass noodles is super easy: NOTE: It will look like a lot of napa cabbage at first, but the leaves will shrink a lot once they are done cooking. When you add them to the pan, let them cook for 1 minute before tossing them. If you have trouble keeping them in the pan, try using a pair of tongs to toss them instead of a spatula. With my Chinese Napa Cabbage with Glass Noodles, you won’t worry about leftovers. It’s a dish best served piping hot, with the glass noodles and cabbage steaming as you pluck them from the sauce with your chopsticks. Try it as a side with one of my other dishes or enjoy it as a meatless meal on any night of the week!
More delicious veggie recipes
Tofu and Broccoli Stir FryChoy Sum with Garlic Sauce4-Ingredient Baby Bok Choy Stir FryChinese Cauliflower Stir FryThe Best Chinese Coleslaw
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
