Simple cabbage stir fry is so delicious, healthy & super quick to make. Enjoy it as a side in a meal. It goes great in sandwiches, spring rolls, wraps, roti, tortillas or even with just plain rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cabbage (julienne or shredded)
  • 1 cup carrots (julienne or shredded)
  • 1 cup bell peppers (julienne)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies (slit (skip if making for kids))
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped finely)
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (crushed (or white pepper for less heat))
  • Salt (if required (optional))
  • ½ tablespoon soya sauce ((organic or naturally brewed, more if preferred))
  • ½ tablespoon Hoisin sauce ((or oyster sauce or your favorite sauce, optional))
  • ½ teaspoon vinegar ((like rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar))
  • 1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

Method

Preparation

  1. Cut the cabbage to 4 quarters and keep them in warm water (not hot) for 2 mins. Remove them and rinse a few times in a pot filled with cold water. Drain them completely. Even little moisture in the cabbage is going to make it mushy.
  2. Wash carrots & bell peppers. Drain well. Pat dry and Julienne or shred all of the veggies.

How to Make Cabbage Stir Fry

  1. To a small bowl, add soya sauce, Hoisin sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Mix and set aside.
  2. Heat a large wok with oil on a high heat. Add garlic and slit green chili. Fry for 30 seconds.
  3. Add all the veggies and stir fry for 2 to 3 mins until they are half cooked yet crunchy. Do not over cook to retain the crunch. Make sure the heat is set to highest possible setting and keep stirring to avoid burning.
  4. Add the black pepper and mix. Pour the sauces all around the edges of the pan, making sure that most of the sauce hits the pan.
  5. Toss the veggies or stir fry for a minute to coat the sauce. Remove the pan from the stove when the cabbage is partially cooked yet crunchy.
  6. Cool it over a rack so the veggies don't sweat. Transfer to serving bowl when it cools down. You may add more salt and pepper while serving the cabbage stir fry.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.