Taiwanese Braised Napa Cabbage 台式白菜卤

One of the side dishes that I enjoyed much during my visit to Taiwan was this Taiwanese Braised Cabbage. The Napa cabbage in this dish is so tender and sweet, goes well with steamed rice and braised pork.

The Asian supermarket near me is currently selling lots of Napa Cabbage as the season approaching fall. I brought one back to make this dish at home. I also find the fried pork rinds which is (in my opinion) essential to this dish as it soaked up most of the gravy and gives very nice chewy texture to the dish!

去台湾玩的时候我如果去吃小吃店里的卤肉饭或封肉饭的话，就一定会点一份这个白菜卤。非常喜欢卤得糯糯的白菜，非常香甜美味。

入秋时超市开始摆出非常棒的大白菜，买一颗回来做这个白菜卤，非常下饭好吃，里边的猪皮吸饱了汤汁，非常香。

Ingredients：

1 head of Napa Cabbage around 600-650 g

5-6 dried mushrooms

5 g dried shrimp (soak in hot water)

2-3 cloves of garlic

3-4 slices of ginger

1-2 scallion （cut into 2 inches long）

2 pieces of fried pork rind

2 tbsp of Pork lard

1 tbsp of plaice powder or 2-3 small dried sole fish 

Seasoning：

1 tbsp of Soy sauce

1/4 tsp of white pepper powder

1/2 tsp of sugar

Salt to taste

材料：
1 大颗 大约 600-650 克的 大白菜
5-6 只 香菇
5 克 虾米/虾干 （热水泡发）
2-3 瓣蒜瓣
3-4 片姜片
1-2 根 青葱 （切段）
2 大块 炸猪皮
2 大勺 猪油
1 大勺 大地鱼粉 或 2-3 只 扁鱼干

调味：
1 大勺 生抽
1/4 小勺 胡椒粉
1/2 小勺 糖
适量 食盐

                                                               

1. Place fried pork rinds in hot water to soak for a few minutes, drain and cut into pieces. Also soak dried mushrooms and dried shrimps in warm water separately. If you use small dried flounder instead of plaice powder, shallow fry the dried fish until crunchy and pound or grind it into powder.

2. Slice ginger,garlic and cut scallion accordingly. Clean and break napa cabbage with hands, separate the lower fleshy part of cabbage from the leafy part. You can also cut into big pieces using a knife.

1. 把炸猪皮用热水泡软后切成段、香菇和虾米也分别泡软备用。如果用扁鱼干的话，这个时候把扁鱼用一点油煎香然后捣碎。

2. 把姜葱蒜切好，大白菜掰成大块，叶和菜帮子分开。我喜欢用手掰的，也可以用刀切。          

3. Heat 2 tbsp of pork lard in a wok and fry the ginger, garlic and scallion until fragrant. Add dried shrimps and mushrooms, continue to stir fry for a few minutes.

4. Add the fleshy part of cabbage and plaice powder in, turn and cook for 2 minutes, add the remaining cabbage leaves.

5. Add 1.5 cups of water and bring it to boil. Season the dish with soy sauce, sugar and white pepper powder.

6. Add pork rinds and cover with lid, turn the heat to medium low and cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour until the cabbage become tender.  Add a little salt to your taste.

3. 锅里热上2大勺的猪油，加入姜蒜和葱段炒香。加入虾米和香菇爆炒香。

4. 加入菜帮子和大地鱼粉，拌炒大约2-3分钟后加入菜叶子，翻炒匀。

5. 倒入1.5杯水, 加入生抽、糖和胡椒粉调味，加入猪皮后，加盖中火焖煮45分钟-1个小时至白菜变软。可以适量加盐调味。

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