Every cook needs easy, 15 minute vegetable sides in their back pockets. I have many that feature cabbage -- salads, soup garnishes, and stir-fries. This Chinese cabbage just entered my life by way of Betty Liu's cookbook, The Chinese Way, which was published in 2024 by Voracious/Little Brown.

Betty focuses on core Chinese culinary values by drawing a through line from traditional recipes to modern riffs. This particular Sichuan cabbage stir-fry is very simple but you do need certain Asian ingredients in your pantry, which you should have! The recipe comes together fast so you need to be organized. It's delicious and I've got some pointers here for you as you go through the motions yourself.

Cabbage choices and prep tips

Betty says to use napa or regular green cabbage. Napa is more watery but has a wonderful sweet delicateness. Given that, makes sure you dry the cabbage well.

She smartly calls for separating the cabbage pieces into thicker and thinner pieces because they cook at different rates too. Sounds fussy? No. It's good cooking. The cabbage won't cook unevenly.

Chile and spice pointers

There are many kinds of chilies used in Sichuan and I didn't know which Betty preferred. I happened to have two kinds of Sichuan peppers on hand, grown by Radical Farms, an Asian heritage farming concern in Northern California. They vary by heat. The point of a dish like this Sichuan cabbage stir-fry is to have the toasty fruityness of the chile in the dish. It's not a hot dish, as Betty notes. So, I used one of each chile.

Don't have Sichuan chiles on hand? You're not alone! Use dried Mexican puya (medium hot) or arbol (hot). And, I took the liberty of seeding and cutting the chiles into small pieces so they'd toast at an even rate as the Sichuan peppercorn and star anise.

The original recipe called for "1 piece of star anise" which I translated to 1 point of star anise. If you like its flavor, add more. The time in the wok is not long so you won't draw out that much flavor. (In a pinch, I'd sub something like a whole clove.)

However, do have the Sichuan peppercorns on hand. This is a Sichuan dish so it's good to have a signature spice involved. (Check the Sichuan peppercorn buying guide, if needed)

Black vinegar -- what is it?

Chinese black vinegar comes in many shakes. It's often inky with a smoky tang. What I have is from Sichuan and has been aged for 10 years. It's thick and delicious. Every time I use the 10-year-old vinegar, my dishes taste stunning. This Baoning vinegar is imported and sold by Mala Market, which I hope will never run out of it!

Don't have Sichuan vinegar yet? Substitute 2:1 balsamic and cider or rice vinegar!

Sichuan tangy cabbage stir-fry video tips

Some pointers from my kitchen, so you know what to expect. After stir-frying the cabbage, you can wash out the wok and fry some eggs in it so you have protein. Serve the veggies and eggs with rice for a fabulous simple meal.

Lots more is contained in Betty's book. Get a copy of The Chinese Way, named one of the New York Times' best cookbooks of 2024!

Print Recipe

Sichuan Tangy Cabbage Stir-Fry

Make this dish, called bao chao bai cai in Mandarin, with napa or regular green cabbage. You can’t go wrong. This recipe has been slightly adapted from version published in The Chinese Way by Betty Liu (Voracious, 2024).

Ingredients

450 g (1 lb )napa or green cabbage (1 very small head)
2 dried red Sichuan chiles (see above for substitute)
Rounded ¼ tsp red Sichuan peppercorns, gently crushed
2 points star anise (see above for substitute)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 or 2 pinches white pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp regular soy sauce
1 Tbsp black vinegar (see above for tip)
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsp canola or other neutral oil

Instructions

Prep the cabbage: Trim the end, then separate the cabbage leaves. Give them a thorough rinse then cut into 1 ½-inch pieces, keeping the thick stemmier bottom pieces separate.
Ready the aromatics and seasoning sauce: Stem and seed the chiles, then snip or tear into small pieces, about ½ to ¾-inch pieces. Put into a small a container with the peppercorns and star anise.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, starch, sugar, and soy sauce, stirring to dissolve the starch and sugar. Add the vinegar. Set the cabbage, aromatics, seasoning sauce, and garlic by the stove.
Stir-fry time: Heat a wok over high until a drop of water evaporates upon contact. Swirl in the oil to coat well, then dump in the chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise. Stir-fry swiftly until toasted and beginning to blacken and char.
Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and stir and toss until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the cabbage stems, stir to combine and keep stir-frying until the cabbage starts softening, 1 minute. Crank up the heat to high, then dump in the remaining thinner cabbage pieces. Stir, fold, and flip until just wilted, 30 to 60 seconds.
Pour half the sauce around the perimeter of the pan, stir to combine, the repeat with the remaining sauce. Swiftly stir-fry to incorporate and slightly thicken the sauce, 1 minute. Dish out to a plate and eat immediately!