Cabbage With Chinese Sausage

Cabbage With Chinese Sausage

Cabbage and Chinese sausage pair together nicely in this simple home-cooked dish. Both Chinese pork sausages and hot bean sauce are available at Asian markets (find more information about hot bean sauce at the bottom of the recipe directions). If you don't want to add a cornstarch/water thickener at the end, reduce the amount of chicken broth to 2 tablespoons.

Cabbage with Chinese sausage serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.

Prep Time : 10 minutes

Cook Time : 7 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1 - 1 1/4 pounds Suey Choy (Napa Cabbage)
• 2 Chinese pork sausages (Lop Cheong)
• 2 green onions (spring onions, scallions)
• 1/4 cup sodium reduced chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon (or to taste) hot bean sauce (Toban Djan)* or chili paste
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil for stir-frying
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

Preparation :

• Remove the core from the cabbage. Chop the leaves crosswise into even pieces about 1 1/2 inches wide. Thinly slice the sausage on the diagonal. Chop the green onion into 1-inch pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, hot bean sauce, and sugar. In a separate small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water.
• Preheat a wok over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and salt. Stir for 10 - 15 seconds.
• Add the lower white parts of the green onion, and the sausage. Stir-fry the sausage for 2 minutes.
• Push the sausage to the sides of the pan. Add the chopped cabbage. Sprinkle the rice wine or sherry over. Stir-fry for about 1 1/2 minutes, until the green leaves darken slightly.
• Restir the sauce and pour it over the cabbage. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the green onions. Check the seasoning, adding soy sauce, salt or pepper if desired.
• Give the cornstarch and water mixture a quick re-stir. Turn the heat back up and add the mixture in the middle of the wok, stirring quickly to thicken. Stir to mix everything together and serve hot.

Hot bean sauce (Toban Djan) is a fermented paste that combines hot chilies with broad beans, also called fava beans. Several brands can be found in Asian markets, including Lee Kum Kee's "Chili Bean Sauce."