Hot And Sour Cabbage

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 5 napa cabbage leaves
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 large dried hot chili peppers
• 1/2 tablespoon szechuan peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon rock sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon chinkiang vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Recipe

• 1 preparation: separate, wash & dry cabbage leaves.
• 2 stack them up and cut them crosswise into 1" wide pieces.
• 3 finely mince or grind szechuan peppercorns.
• 4 crush rock sugar with cleaver handle; mix with soy sauce; reserve.
• 5 stir-frying: heat wok to moderate; add oil.
• 6 wait 30 seconds.
• 7 stir-fry whole chilis until they just blacken; quickly add peppercorns.
• 8 when they exude pungent odor, push up side of wok and raise heat to high.
• 9 add salt & cabbage all at once.
• 10 keep tossing cabbage until it is wilted & soft.
• 11 this takes several minutes.
• 12 there should be about 2 t of water in wok when cabbage is wilted.
• 13 add sugar & soy mixture.
• 14 when sugar has melted, toss with cabbage, then sprinkle vinegar over all.
• 15 keep tossing on high heat for another 20 seconds.
• 16 add sesame oil; toss briefly; remove to serving dish.
• 17 if serving this dish cold, wait until it has cooled, then cover & refrigerate.