Stir-Fry Cabbage with Chinese Fermented Dried Soybeans - 豆酥高麗菜

How to describe Chinese fermented dried soybeans? The process of making it can be quite complicating, but it involves boiling, fermenting, and drying of the soybeans. The end product is semi-hard pallets that can be stored in the freezer up to months if needed. 

Try your luck at a Chinese grocery store, otherwise fried garlic can be one flavorful alternative. 

Stir-fry cabbage with Chinese fermented dried soybeans - 

Ingredients?

• 1/2 small to medium cabbage
• 6 tablespoons fermented soybeans
• 1 stalk scallion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon homemade flaky chili sauce

How?

Tear the cabbage into large bite size pieces. Trim off scallion stem and chop the remaining section. Trim off the chili stems and finely chop the remaining. Peel the garlic cloves, give two cloves a few chops and finely chop the remaining three cloves. 

The fermented dried soybeans I got from a local market -

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and turn to medium high heat. Once the oil warms up a little, add in the fermented dried soybeans and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add in scallion, chilies, and finely chopped garlic. Also season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and some flaky chili sauce. 

Cook till the mixture is about to dry up completely, scoop out and set aside for later use. These soybeans will expand after absorbing all the oil and moisture. 

Use the same pan and add in the larger garlic pieces, drizzle more olive oil if needed, just to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Also add in 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook till fragrant and the garlic is about to get burnt. Turn to high heat and quickly add in the cabbage. Keep stir-frying till the cabbage reaches desired texture, I prefer a crunchier bite for this recipe.  

Transfer to a plate and top with the soybean mixture generously.

This soybean mixture also works well with steamed fish fillet. You get that soft texture from the fish and paired with crunchy, aromatic soybean mixture. Fingers crossed that you could find this Asian ingredient at the grocery store.

Other Asian stir fry recipes:

• Natural MSG - stir fry cabbage with shio kombu (salted dried seaweed)
• Thick Cut Marbled Beef Slices and Bean Curd Stir Fry (with a Touch of Chinese Basil)
• Up to another level - cured pork tongue and sprouted garlic stir fry
• Sour and spicy cabbage stir fry - 醋溜高麗菜
• Hunan eggs (spicy hard boiled eggs stir fry) - 湖南蛋
• Quick and easy Chinese stir fry using cured pork slices and garlic bolt 蒜苗炒臘肉
• Chinese chive flowers and salted black beans stir fry - wait till you find out this dish's real name
• Taiwanese dried radish and salted black beans stir fry - 辣炒豆鼓蘿蔔乾
• Chinese side dish recipe: spicy cabbage and Matsuzaka pork stir fry
• Bento side dish recipe: chicken and corn stir fry
• Pickled small gai choy and ground pork stir fry - 雪裡紅炒豬肉
• Let's team up - cauliflower and broccoli stir fry
• Spicy stir fry with thick cut Matsuzaka pork and salted black beans 辣炒松阪豬