Stir-fried Chinese cabbage and bacon

This Chinese stir-fry takes a twist of Australian inspiration with the inclusion of bacon – an ingredient not typically seen on Chinese restaurant menus. Much cheaper and easier to source than more traditional Chinese proteins and ready in just 15 minutes, this is one innovative recipe worth keeping up your sleeve for when you need dinner in a flash.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Cabbage and Friends

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 150 g streaky bacon, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 500 - 600 g baby wombok, roughly chopped
• Sansho pepper or white pepper, to taste
• Steamed Koshihikari rice, to serve
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Black vinegar, to serve (optional)

For the stir-fry sauce

• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp (20 ml) light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) water
• 3 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine (optional)

Instructions

1. To make the stir-fry sauce, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Heat a dry large wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp (no oil is needed, as the bacon will render fat into the pan as it slowly cooks!)
   
2. Add the garlic to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until fragrant, followed by the cabbage and prepared stir-fry sauce. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened. Add a pinch of pepper, to taste.
   
3. Divide steamed rice between bowls and top with the stir-fried Chinese cabbage and bacon. Sprinkle with the spring onion and serve the black vinegar (if using) on the side.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Cabbage and Friends

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G