Stuffed Napa Cabbage Leaves

Inspiration for this recipe came from a few different sources both online and from a cookbook. The cabbage I used was quite large at 3.7 pounds so the outer leaves that I used were big. Make more smaller bundles if you are using a smaller cabbage. I'm writing this up from memory because I didn't take notes while I putting the  dish together but I don't think that precise measurements are necessary.


Dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water* (about 1 ounce, I didn't weigh them)
1 bundle bean thread noodles, soaked in warm water **(noodles are packaged in multiple bundles)
8 large outer leaves of Napa cabbage

2/3 pound ground beef (pork would be good too or ground dark meat turkey)
Peanut oil
About 1 cup chopped onion
1 large stalk celery, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 small carrot, grated
Chopped cilantro, to taste
2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce (try 1 1/2 T next time, it was a bit salty)

2 cups chicken broth
Lime juice from 1 small Makrut lime (about 1/2 Persian/Mexican lime)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (use less if the broth is salted)
Turbinado sugar
Aji Angelo hot sauce
Chopped cilantro
Sesame oil
Toasted black sesame seeds

Let the bean thread noodles and the dried mushrooms soak while the cabbage leaves are blanched and the filling is prepared.

Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water until just wilted (about 20 to 30 seconds) and refresh in ice water. Drain and set aside.

Drain the mushrooms and chop them. Heat the peanut oil in a small skillet set over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery until just barely translucent, add the chopped mushrooms to the mix and stir in. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool a bit.

Mix together the ground beef, grated carrot, chopped cilantro, fish sauce and sautéed vegetables. Drain the noodles thoroughly.

Spread the cabbage leaves out on a work surface, inner sides facing up. Divide the noodles evenly between the leaves and then the beef mixture***, place the filling at the thick bottom end of the leaf so that it covers the middle third of the leaf crosswise. Roll the leaves into a packet, starting by rolling from the bottom into a log to completely enclose the filling, then take the empty sides of the leaves and fold them toward the center covering the roll, then finish rolling to make a neat packet.

Heat the broth in a straight sided sauté pan large enough to hold all the rolls snugly (10-inch pan). Add the lime juice and fish sauce then add sugar and hot sauce to taste, it should be tangy and just a little sweet and spicy (or hot if you like it that way). Place the rolls in the pan and bring the broth to a strong simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer the rolls for about 30 minutes.

To serve, place a couple of rolls in a bowl, add broth, drizzle with a bit of sesame oil, scatter some chopped cilantro over the top, sprinkle with some sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.


* Alternatively, use chopped fresh mushrooms and sauté them with the onion and celery.

** Cooked rice would be a good alternative to the noodles, brown rice would be my preference.

*** I don't have room to spread all the leaves out at once so I weigh all of the filling and then figure out how much a single portion is and pull that much out of the total as I fill each roll. My scale shows negative amounts so it shows how much I remove or add to whatever is on the scale.

Chicken and Rice Soup with Asian Flavors

This recipe is still a work in progress. I started with a whole 5 pound chicken which produced 2 huge breasts. I poached both breasts to make a broth even though I knew that it would be more meat than what I needed for the soup. But what I really wanted was the flavorful broth and one breast would not make a broth with as much flavor as both breasts. The second breast was perfect for adding to a salad another day so I got at least 2 meals for my effort.

I also ended up with more rice than I thought was appropriate for the soup. Next time I'll start with about 2/3 cup dry rice. On the other hand it's nice to have leftover rice to make a fried rice dish, so perhaps next time I'll make a larger pot of rice and then make chicken fried rice the next day. That sounds like a plan!

2 bone in chicken breasts with the skin attached, from a 5 pound chicken (wings removed)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise broken into pieces
6 whole cloves
1 black cardamom pod
a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
5 to 6 cups of water

1 cup brown jasmine rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water

Coconut oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons as desired
About 1 cup of 1/4-inch thick celery slices
About 1/2 pound of carrots cut into 1/2-inch dice
About 1 cup of coarsely chopped onion (leek?)
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste

1 large bunch of fresh cilantro
Sesame oil
Hot pepper sauce

Diced daikon radish would be a nice addition to the veggie mix.
Napa cabbage would be good.

First poach the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breasts in a 3 quart or larger saucepan along with the seasonings and enough water to completely submerge the breasts, at least 5 cups. Turn the heat on to medium, cover the pan, and bring the water to a gentle simmer. Do not boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer the breasts until the broth turns clear and then remove the pan from the heat and allow the breasts to at least partially cool in the broth.

Steam the rice while the chicken breasts are cooking. Place the rice, salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting or put the pan on a low burner with a flame tamer, cover the pan and allow the rice to steam until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside. (This made more rice than necessary, I had at least a cup leftover after adding as much as I wanted to the finished soup.)

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot set over medium heat. Add the vegetables, toss to coat with the hot oil, cover the pot and allow the veggies to sweat for a couple of minutes. Uncover the pot and sauté the vegetables until they are slightly softened, a couple more minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken breasts from their pot and set them aside to cool until they can be handled. Strain the broth into the soup pot. Season the soup with a couple more tablespoons of fish sauce and bring the soup to a simmer.

While the soup is simmering, shred the chicken meat to be used in the soup, you will probably only need the meat from one of the breasts if you started with a 5 pound chicken. Remove the chicken meat from the bones, setting the bones and skin aside for another use (they can still be used in a long simmered poultry stock). Shred the meat into bite sized pieces.

Finish the soup when the vegetables are cooked to your liking. Add the cooked rice and shredded chicken. Simmer until the rice and chicken are heated through. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or salt if needed.

Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of sesame oil and a handful of chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with the hot sauce on the side to allow each diner to season the soup to their own taste.

Wilted Napa Cabbage Two Ways

Napa Cabbage with Chorizo Blanco

Olive oil
A couple sprigs fresh thyme
2 small fresh bay leaves
1/2 large sweet onion, cut in slivers
1 mild New Mex chile (Big Jim), cut in thin slices
1 dozen or so dried Mission figs, cut into quarters
Chorizo Blanco, (Catalonian sausage), cut in bite sized slices
1/2 large head of napa cabbage, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices
Aged fig balsamic vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat some olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the herbs, onion, chile, and figs. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts. Add the Chorizo (it should be a ready to eat type) and stir to mix. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until the cabbage wilts or is cooked to your preference. Season to taste with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

Napa Cabbage with Chantrelles


Olive oil
A few slices pancetta, cut into bits
1/2 large sweet onion, cut into slivers
1/2 pound fresh chantrelles, sliced thin
1/2 large head of napa cabbage, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices
Moscato vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat some olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pancetta, onion, and chantrelles. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring until the chantrelles have softened and start releasing their juices. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring until the cabbage wilts or is cooked to your preference. Season to taste with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately