Glass Noodles with Napa Cabbage (白菜炖粉条)
Cook this classic Chinese dish made of silky glass noodles tossed with crunchy Napa cabbage in a flavourful braising sauce. It is quick, tasty and filling!
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 80 g dried sweet potato noodles (or potato noodles) (about 3oz (see note 1 for substitutes))
- ½ head Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) (about 300g/11oz)
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan pepper
- Dried chilli pepper (to taste)
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (see note 2 for vegan substitutes)
- 120 g water (about ½ cup)
Instructions
- 1
Put the dried noodles into a large bowl. Add hot water and leave to soak for 5 minutes until they become pale and pliable but still hard to break with nails (see note 3). Rinse under running water to cool. Drain well then set aside.
- 2
Tear the leafy part of the napa cabbage into pieces, then cut the firm white part into strips.
- 3
Add oil and whole Sichuan pepper to a cold wok (frying pan/skillet). Over low heat, toast the peppercorn until you see intense bubbles appear and smell its fragrance. Use a spatula to remove it from the wok leaving the oil in the wok.
- 4
Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add dried chilli pepper, garlic and scallions (leave some for garnishing later). Fry until the garlic turns lightly golden on the edge.
- 5
Put in the white part of the napa cabbage. Stir fry for 30 seconds or so. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and water.
- 6
Toss to evenly distribute the seasoning, then put in the leafy part of the cabbage and the noodles.
- 7
Mix well then cover with a lid. Leave to cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes. The cooking liquid should be fully absorbed by the noodles at this point (if not, cook a little longer uncovered).
- 8
Sprinkle the remaining scallions to garnish. Serve warm on its own, or as part of a multi-dish meal with steamed rice.