Vinegar Cabbage

Method

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1. Tear the cabbage into rough pieces with your hands, discarding the thickest core. Shake it dry.

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2. Heat the wok until it smokes, then add the oil.

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3. Add the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and toast 20 seconds, until fragrant.

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4. Add the garlic and ginger for 15 seconds.

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5. Add the cabbage all at once and toss hard over maximum heat 3 minutes, until the edges are charred in places and the stems still snap.

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6. Add the soy sauce, sugar and salt and toss 30 seconds more.

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7. Take the wok off the heat, add the vinegar and sesame oil, toss once and serve immediately.

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Chef’s Tips

• Tear it, do not shred it. Ragged edges hold the dressing.
• Maximum heat and keep it moving. It should char in places.
• Vinegar off the heat, or the aroma goes.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• Braised pork
• A cold beer

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately. Refrigerated 1 day and eaten cold.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.