[RECIPE] Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimps 開陽白菜

I did more cooking videos on my Instagram in late January because of Chinese New Year. And I have been getting more feedback to see me cook and share my recipes!

For those who have known me longer, you know I like to cook and experiment with different cuisines. Especially when I am planning for a special meal or I discover a new ingredient that I want to try. However, I still prefer to cook Cantonese/Southern Chinese dishes 95% of the time because it’s the easiest for me.

Today I am going to share a simple vegetable dish that I make a lot at home, called Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimps.

What are Napa Cabbages (大白菜)?

Napa cabbage is widely used in East Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean. (Kimchi are usually made from napa cabbages!)

Back in the days during the winter, it's one of the few vegetables that could survive the cold. It's also rich in folate, vitamin A and calcium.⁠

What are Dried Shrimps (蝦米)?

Dried shrimps are usually found in the refrigerated areas, but the location depends on the supermarket.

Dried shrimps (蝦米) are staples to Chinese cuisine. When there was an abundance of seafood and no refrigeration, my ancestors preserved shrimps by drying them in the sun so they could use them for cooking. Many Asian countries also use dried shrimps in their dishes.

We put them in soups, add them to stir-fry dishes and make sauces out of them (XO sauce). They give off a wonderful umami flavor and aroma particularly cooking together with vegetables.

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Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimps

(開陽白菜)

Recipe created by Janice Chow, MS, RD, LDN (The Mindful Chow)

Serving size: 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

For vegan/vegetarian modifications, check the note session below.

Ingredients

1 head of napa cabbage — around 1.5-2 lbs

1/4 cup of large, dried shrimps

1 cup of low sodium chicken broth or water used to soak dried shrimps

3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced — feel free to use more if you like garlic!

1-2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

1-2 teaspoons of white pepper powder — start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed

Salt to taste

Method

1. About 30 minutes before you start cooking (or overnight), rinse the dried shrimps with 1 cup of water. Soak the washed dried shrimps in a small bowl filled with water, until they feel slightly softer. (If you soak overnight, put it inside the fridge!)

2. Peel the cloves of garlic and slice them thinly. Put aside.

3. Prepare the cabbage:

   • Chop off the end of the napa cabbage. Discard.

   • Peel off the leaves by layers. Repeat until there is nothing but a tiny tiny core.

   • Stack couple leaves on top of each other, and chop them into 1-inch wide pieces. Repeat for the remaining leaves.

   • Rinse the chopped napa cabbage leaves in a large bowl. If your cabbage has more soil or you find tiny veggie bugs, don’t panic! Rinse and change the water 1-2 more times and they should be pretty clean. Drain off properly.

4. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in your wok or deep pan (at least 3 inches from the bottom), in medium heat. Once the oil is hot enough, put the sliced garlic into the heated wok/pan. Stir-fry until the garlic pieces turn slightly golden and the aroma comes out.

5. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Keep the water you used to soak the dried shrimps! Add the softened dried shrimp into the wok/pan. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the aroma comes out. The shrimps should also turn from orange-pink to orange-gold color.

6. Add the chopped cabbage pieces into the wok/pan. Carefully scoop couple times from the bottom, so the oil + garlic + dried shrimp can mix well with the cabbage.

7. Add 1 cup of chicken broth OR the water you use to soak the dried shrimp, into the cabbage mix. Incorporate carefully. Put the lid onto the wok/pan and let it cook for 7-8 minutes. Don’t worry that it seems like there’s not enough liquid - the vegetable will release more water as it’s getting cooked.

8. Carefully open the lid to let the steam out. Check if the leaves turn somewhat translucent. If yes then it’s cooked. If not, put the lid back on, and let it cooked for another 3-5 minutes.

9. Add salt to taste. Add 1-2 tsps of white pepper powder (start with 1 tsp and add more to your taste). Mix well and it’s ready to be served!

You will notice there’s quite an amount of broth at the bottom of the wok/pan. You can take it like soup, or save it up and then use it for a recipe that calls for broth (use within 5 days).

Notes

• Here are the instructions for vegan/Vegetarian substitutions:

  • Step 1: Instead of dried shrimps, use 4 heads of shiitake mushrooms. If you use dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them overnight and keep the water! MOST IMPORTANTLY, slice the shiitake mushrooms thinly before cooking.

  • Step 5: Add the sliced mushrooms into the wok/pan. Cook until the aroma comes out.

  • Step 6: Use 1 cup of leftover mushroom water or vegetable broth instead.

This dish can be made within 20 minutes! Simple and delicious for lunch or dinner!