Posted on by ketchup

Chinese Inspired Pork Cabbage Rolls with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1/2 lb minced pork (sub with chicken or shrimp if desired)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 3-4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp mirin/rice wine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 5 medium-sized dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in room temperature water (just enough to cover) for 30 minutes
  • 3 scallions, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced (about 2/3 cup)
  • 1 small round cabbage
    • If using napa cabbage instead of round cabbage, see Notes on cabbage options below.

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Liquid from soaked mushrooms
  • 2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp liquid from soaked mushrooms
  • Liquid from the steamed cabbage rolls (not liquid from steaming the cabbage itself)
  • 1 tbsp scallion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tsp. minced garlic, or garlic paste (optional)
  • 2 tsp. Sambal Oelek (optional)

Directions

Steam cabbage for wrapping

  1. Remove the core of the cabbage with a knife.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil and submerge the cabbage, stem side facing up. Heat until the water comes to a boil again.
  3. Loosen the layers of the cabbage leaves with a pair of chopsticks or tongs.
  4. Once the cabbage leaves start to release from the core, remove them carefully so as not to tear them.  Place in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate.  If you stack them on top of each other instead, the lowest leaves will continue to cook and may break down.
  5. If using napa cabbage, remove the thick stalks from the leaves so they are pliable.  Dice stalks and use them in place of diced onions in the stuffing.

Construct and steam the rolls

  1. Mix all of the ingredients in the Filling section above together well, to form a sticky paste.
  2. Using a spoon, dollop out a portion of filling to fit the leaf you are working with, and place it toward the stem end of the cabbage leaf.  Roll up like a small burrito, and place seam-side down into a steamer basket.
  3. Alternately, you can fold the cabbage in half like a card and make flat rolls if time is limited.
  4. Place steamer in a pot filled with 1/2-1 inch of water.  Steam rolls over medium heat for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove rolls from the steamer and place on a plate.  You may wish to cover the plate so the rolls stay warm.  Do not discard the liquid, as you’ll use it to make your sauce.

Finish the sauce

  1. Combine the cornstarch and the 1 tbsp water for soaking the mushrooms to form a cornstarch slurry.
  2. Pour the liquid from steaming the cabbage rolls into a shallow, wide pan.  Add in remaining water from soaked mushrooms.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil, and reduce by half.
  3. While whisking, add the cornstarch slurry.  Continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken.
  4. Add sliced scallions, garlic and Sambal Oelek (optional) and cook for 1-2 minutes, continuing to whisk until sauce becomes thickened to your liking.  Taste and season lightly with salt/pepper if needed.
  5. Drizzle sauce on the cabbage rolls or in a small dish for dipping, and serve.

Notes on cabbage options

  • Both round cabbage and napa cabbage are suitable for this recipe. If using napa cabbage, cut off the part near the stem as it is quite thick. Use only the leafy part to wrap the stuffing. Dice the stem into small pieces and use them as part of the filling.
    If you use round cabbage, the entire leaf can be used as the wrapper because it is thinner and softer than napa cabbage. For this recipe, chopped onion was added to the stuffing to replace the diced napa cabbage so the filling is less compact.