Chinese red cabbage is a deliciously fragrant alternative to the British version. Packed with Asian flavours like soy, sesame, garlic and ginger this red cabbage still has a little bite to it when it’s cooked and goes perfectly with rich meats like duck. If you want to bulk up the recipe a little the you can stir through some egg noodle for a bit of a carb boost and to satisfy even the hungriest of diners. The delicious sauce surrounding the cabbage will coat the strands and give them a big hit of flavour. In fact, this easy recipe is also good cold, so can be packed into lunch boxes quite happily along with some protein to fill you up – think leftover chicken or pork. If you like your food extra hot then you can add an extra sprinkling of chilli slices across the top of your Chinese cabbage once you’re ready to serve.
As the star of the dish you’ll want to know you’re doing everything right to cook your red cabbage properly, and that’ll be easy using our super helpful how to cook red cabbage guide.
Ingredients
- 1.25kg (2 3/4lb) large red cabbage, finely shredded
- 2-3 red chillies, halved, deseeded and chopped
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 star anise
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 level tbsp caster sugar
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Method
Put all the ingredients, except the spring onions, sesame seeds and sesame oil, into a large pan with a lid and bring to a simmer.
Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, then uncover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in half the spring onions and half the sesame seeds. Spoon into a large bowl and sprinkle with the rest of the spring onions, sesame seeds and the sesame oil.
Top tip for making Chinese red cabbage
If you prefer cabbage to have less bite and be a bit softer, add more liquid and cook on a low heat, uncovered, for an extra 20 minutes or so.
