Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew

Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew

Ingredients

• ½ Napa cabbage
• as needed Fish balls
• 1 Fresh tofu skin
• 1 small handful Dried shrimp
• as needed Scallions (chopped)
• 2 Garlic
• 1 Oyster sauce
• 1 Light soy sauce
• 3 Sugar
• 2 Matsutake powder
• 4 White pepper powder
• 5 Salt

Instructions

1. Cut the napa cabbage in half.
2. Cut the cabbage stems into strips.
3. Tear the cabbage leaves into large pieces. Wash both the stems and leaves and set aside.
4. Rinse the fish balls and set aside. I bought a box of fresh tofu skin from the hot pot section of the supermarket.
5. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add scallions and garlic slices, stir until fragrant.
6. Add the cabbage stems and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes.
7. Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 3g sugar, 2g matsutake powder, and 4g white pepper powder. Stir well, then add two large bowls of hot water and bring to a boil over high heat.
8. Add the cabbage leaves and simmer over medium-low heat. The cabbage releases a lot of water as it cooks, so no need to add more water at this point.
9. After simmering for about 20 minutes, add a small handful of dried shrimp — it adds wonderful umami.
10. Continue simmering for another 20 minutes, then add the fish balls. Season with salt to taste. Add a bit more hot water if the liquid has reduced too much.
11. Continue simmering for 10 minutes, then add the fresh tofu skin.
12. Simmer for another 10 minutes and it is done! The total simmering time is about 1 hour. The cabbage cooks quickly, but the longer you simmer, the better it tastes — the water reduces and the cabbage becomes naturally sweet.