Authentic Taiwanese Cabbage Stew

Serves 4 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cooking time: 35 mins

INGREDIENTS

• one Chinese Cabbage (cannot be replaced with any other type of cabbage)
• 30g Ginger (Fresh) (cannot be replaced with paste or powder)
• 120g Carrot
• 10 Shiitake Mushrooms (Dried) (approx. 25g)
• 7g Wood Ear Mushrooms (Dried), aka Black Fungus
• 50g Tofu Skin (Dried) (hydrate the tofu skin in hot water for a couple of hours)
• 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil (for cooking)
• 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Vegan Oyster Sauce
• 1/4 tsp Ground White Pepper
• 2 cups Water
• Cornstarch slurry (2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water)
• Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Cut the Chinese cabbage vertically into big chunks.
2. Boil a pot of water, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt then add the cabbage. (Salt helps to break down the fibre of the Chinese cabbage.)
3. Cook until the Chinese cabbage softens. Take it out then set aside.
4. Chop the other ingredients (carrot, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms; julienne the ginger).
5. Heat up the sesame oil in a heavy-based pot on medium-low heat.
6. Once the sesame oil starts sizzling, add ginger, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms, sauté for about 5 minutes until the aroma of the flavours comes out.
7. Add cooked Chinese cabbage into the pot.
8. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and water.
9. Add seasonings, light soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, and ground white pepper.
10. Add the wood ear mushroom and tofu skin.
11. Put the lid on, let it simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
12. After 30 minutes, add corn slurry to slightly thicken the sauce.

Enjoy!