December 01, 2004
Asian/Napa Cabbage & Fish Paste
Ingredients:
-1 large piece of ginger
-20 large cabbage leaves or 1 medium asian/napa cabbage
-1 container of fish paste
-1 large green onion
-sugar
-sesame oil
-parsley (optional)
1. Wash cabbage, drain and cut into 1 inch pieces. Separate pieces into sections of bottom ends and leafy tops.
2. Cut green onion into small slices and mix into fish paste with parsley if desired. Add sugar and sesame oil for balance (the paste is salty so you won't need to do much salting in the dish later on).
3. Heat oil and on medium-high heat, add smashed ginger that's been cut into pieces. When the oil is hot and you can smell the ginger, add the cabbage ends into the skillet. Stir lightly, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, form fish paste into flat pieces roughly 1 inch thick.
4. After 2-3 minutes, the cabbage should be slightly wilted and reduced in size and there should be a considerable amount of water in the skillet. Place fish paste over cabbage, then cover with the remaining cabbage tops (the leafy portions). Cover again with lid and reduce heat.
5. Cook 2-5 minutes more until paste is heated through and cabbage tops are also wilted and reduced in size. Remove from heat, plate up and serve.
The fish paste, found in Asian grocery stores, looks something like this.
