Easy Chinese-style cabbage stirs fry with garlic, green onion, ginger, dried pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns.
Hand-torn Cabbage
This is one of the most common easy stir fry dishes on my table- Chinese-style spicy and sour cabbage stir fry. The Chinese name for this easy cabbage stir fry dish is hand-torn cabbage (手撕包菜). You may wonder why it should be hand-tearing. Not cutting? Hand shredding can help to remove the tough part of the cabbage and keep the natural grains of the cabbage leaves. The name comes from the fact that the cabbage is torn by hand rather than cut with a knife, which gives it a more rustic appearance and texture.
We cook the cabbage in a very short time and this type of quick frying can retain the crispy taste of the cabbage.
Ingredients breakdown
- Cabbage: Cabbage is the main ingredient in this dish, and it provides a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a crisp texture. When hand-torn, it creates uneven edges that help it absorb more of the seasoning.
- Garlic and ginger: Garlic and ginger add a pungent, slightly spicy flavor to the dish.
- Dried chili peppers: Dried chili peppers add heat and depth of flavor to the dish. The amount used can be adjusted to suit your taste preference.
- Light soy sauce: Soy sauce is a key ingredient in many Asian cuisines and provides a salty, savory, and unami flavor.
- Black vinegar: Black vinegar has a milder taste than other types of vinegar and is often used in Chinese cuisine. It adds a slightly sour flavor to the dish.
- Cooking oil: you can use either vegetable cooking oil or animal fat like lard in this recipe.
If you have Sichuan peppercorn by hand, you can also add some Sichuan peppercorn along with the aromatics. You can also use fresh hot peppers to make this dish.
Cook’s Note
- Heat your wok or pan first before adding the oil. Since we are doing quick frying, we need enough hot kept by the wok. Take full use of the wok heating by moving the cabbage around the wok.
- The cabbage should be completely drained before frying. The only water on the leaves can spoil the dish by turning the quick frying process into steaming or poaching.
Dry the cabbage completely before stir-frying
Drying the cabbage before cooking is important because it removes excess moisture, which helps to ensure the cabbage has a nice, crisp texture, absorbs more of the seasoning, and cooks more evenly and quickly.
Instructions
Hand tear the cabbage, and keep the tender green leaves only. Discard the hard white pate. Wash gently and drain completely. This is the key step to guarantee the success of the dish.
Heat the wok first, and pour in the oil. Add dried chili pepper, to fry over a slow fire until an aromatic, place in garlic and ginger too.
Add cabbage immediately. Quickly fry the cabbage, add salt, light soy sauce, and vinegar.
This process should be finished within 30 seconds.
Chinese Style Cabbage Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 middle size cabbage ,hand shredded and remove the tough parts
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 inch root ginger ,minced
- 3 to 6 dried chili pepper depending how spicy you want it to be
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. black vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt or as needed
- 2 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
Instructions
- Hand tear the cabbage, and keep the tender green leaves only. Discard the hard white pate. Wash gently and drain completely. This is the key step to guarantee the success of the dish.
- Heat the wok first, and pour in the oil. Add dried chili pepper, to fry over a slow fire until an aromatic, place in garlic and ginger too.
- Add cabbage immediately. Quickly fry the cabbage, add salt, light soy sauce, and vinegar.
- This process should be finished within 30 seconds. You will have full of flavor, crunchy cabbage side dish.
Notes
In order to make sure that the flavor is well absorbed by the cabbage, drain the leaves completely before frying.
Recipe is firstly published in 2014 and updated in 2023.
Nutrition
Very appealing dish – as always on your blog. I’ll have a look for black vinegar next time I visit the chinese merchant. Is it consumed just like that or do you serve it with rice?
By the way – I really admire the variety of your china.
Hi Susanne,
Thanks for the kind words. Black rice vinegar is a kitchen ingredient you should definitely try. It is really wonderful for so many yummy Asian salads or stir fry recipes
It’s like you read my mind….I have half a cabbage sitting in the fridge and I was wondering what to make with it!! I have everything other than the sichuan peppercorns so I’m off to make this right now 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Frankly speaking, Sichuan peppercorn is the most wonderful spice for me. The flavor is very unique and go ahead and try it.
Hi Elaine, I found your blog through Pinterest. It’s a great find. Do you ever write in Chinese? Looking forward to trying your recipes. Thanks and happy new year!
Yes, on my notebook. I write them in Chinese. Happy New Year too!
hi, what’s the chinese name of the black vinegar? i live in shanghai and there are a million types of vinegar in the supermarket, i never know which one to buy! is it just 黑醋？
Hi Tumi,
The Chinese name is “香醋” or “陈醋”. Black vinegar is referring to the color.
For the instruction to drain the cabbage-do you mean after washing it? Or after blanching it?
Sometimes when I stir-fry cabbage, I blanch it with hot water as the ribs are tough. Do you shred the cabbage away from the ribs and throw them out the tough bits?
Hi Dodojojo,
For this dish, I just hand shred the leaves and throw away the ribs since we are doing a quick fry and the ribs will not be cooked completely.
It means, if you washed the cabbage, you need to make sure the cabbage is absolutely dry.
Easiest and quickly way to do this is to put the shredded pieces in a salad spinner
Great idea, Tim. If you have a salad spinner, it can be quite helpful.
Hi Elaine, I have been so lucky to find your resourceful blog, full of beautiful pictures and wonderful recipes !!! I do love cabbage and I can’t wait to try your delicious stir fry cabbage !!
Hi Luigi,
Thanks for the warm words. You should definitely try this. It is really yum! One of my favorite Szechuan dishes.
Hello and thank you for sharing this – I’ve had this a few times at a local restaurant in London that specialises in Sichuan province dishes . Apologies if you have already covered this but you mention “drain them completely” – do you blanch the cabbage in any way or do you hand shred it and add it to the wok raw?
Many thanks again.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I hand shred the cabbage. I mean after washing and shred the cabbage, you need to drain them otherwise the water will influence the taste in stir fry process, mainly reducing the absorption of the spices and seasonings.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! It is one of my favorites as it is inexpensive, filling and healthy. I was very happy to have a Chinese colleague ask if I was eating Chinese style, when he saw me eating it!
Glad to know that you like it too, Gwyneth. I agree it is inexpensive and quite healthy. I cook it frequently too. Happy cooking ahead.
Thank you for this delicious recipe. Cabbage, garlic and ginger are so beneficial to one’s health!
Cabbage is high in many vitamins, such as Vitamin C, which are harmed when cut with a metal knife. I really appreciated that the cabbage was torn!
Can you please provide more information on Sichuan peppercorns? It’s such an unfamiliar and hard to find spice for me.
Hope to see more vegan and vegetarian recipes on your site! Especially those that make delicious use of tofu!
Hi Shelby,
I have posted some of the basic Sichuan peppercorn information, you can find it here https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/sichuan-pepper-introduction-and-sourcing-tips/. It is absolutely an excellent spices.
And thanks for the lovely suggestion about vegan and vegetarian recipes. I promise to do my best in the following recipe plans.
Happy cooking ahead.
Hello I love the look of this cabbage dish. I just wanted to ask can you different vegetables instead? I’ve got some broccoli, baby sweet corn and green beans hanging around in my fridge.
Hi Steph,
I would suggest broccoli, cauliflower, lotus roots and green beans.