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Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew
Chinese dish ready in 6 min using easy-level technique. Simple enough for weeknight cooking.
- Prep
- 5m
- Cook
- 1m
- Total
- 6m
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Chinese
IngredientsWhat you'll need for Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Napa cabbage | ½ |
| Fish balls | as needed |
| Fresh tofu skin | 1 as needed |
| Dried shrimp | 1 small handful |
| Scallions (chopped) | as needed |
| Garlic | 2 as needed |
| Oyster sauce | 1 as needed |
| Light soy sauce | 1 as needed |
| Sugar | 3 as needed |
| Matsutake powder | 2 as needed |
| White pepper powder | 4 as needed |
| Salt | 5 as needed |
- Napa cabbage½
- Fish ballsas needed
- Fresh tofu skin1 as needed
- Dried shrimp1 small handful
- Scallions (chopped)as needed
- Garlic2 as needed
- Oyster sauce1 as needed
- Light soy sauce1 as needed
- Sugar3 as needed
- Matsutake powder2 as needed
- White pepper powder4 as needed
- Salt5 as needed
Cooking StepsHow to cook Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew step by step
-
Step 1Cut the napa cabbage in half.
-
Step 2Cut the cabbage stems into strips.
-
Step 3Tear the cabbage leaves into large pieces. Wash both the stems and leaves and set aside.
-
Step 4Rinse the fish balls and set aside. I bought a box of fresh tofu skin from the hot pot section of the supermarket.
-
Step 5Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add scallions and garlic slices, stir until fragrant.
-
Step 6Add the cabbage stems and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes.
-
Step 7Add 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.
-
Step 8Add 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.
-
Step 9After simmering for about 20 minutes, add a small handful of dried shrimp — it adds wonderful umami.
-
Step 10Continue 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.
-
Step 11Continue simmering for 10 minutes, then add the fresh tofu skin.
-
Step 12Simmer 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.
Fish Ball and Napa Cabbage Stew
Chinese dish ready in 6 min using easy-level technique. Simple enough for weeknight cooking.
Ingredients
- ½ Napa cabbage
- as needed Fish balls
- 1 as needed Fresh tofu skin
- 1 small handful Dried shrimp
- as needed Scallions (chopped)
- 2 as needed Garlic
- 1 as needed Oyster sauce
- 1 as needed Light soy sauce
- 3 as needed Sugar
- 2 as needed Matsutake powder
- 4 as needed White pepper powder
- 5 as needed Salt
Instructions
-
Cut the napa cabbage in half.
-
Cut the cabbage stems into strips.
-
Tear the cabbage leaves into large pieces. Wash both the stems and leaves and set aside.
-
Rinse the fish balls and set aside. I bought a box of fresh tofu skin from the hot pot section of the supermarket.
-
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add scallions and garlic slices, stir until fragrant.
-
Add the cabbage stems and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes.
-
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.
-
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.
-
After simmering for about 20 minutes, add a small handful of dried shrimp — it adds wonderful umami.
-
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.
-
Continue simmering for 10 minutes, then add the fresh tofu skin.
-
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.
Recipe Details
Common Questions
How can I make this spicier?
Add chili oil or chili crisp to taste, or include dried red chilies during cooking. A dash of Sichuan peppercorn adds a different kind of heat.
