Cabbage Stir-fried with Red Pepper Paste
An inviting recipe for cabbage stir fried with red pepper paste. From Madhur Jaffrey, the bok choi recipe is flavoured with garlic, chilli and anchovy paste.
From the book
My Kitchen Table: 100 Essential Curries
Master all the classic curries you love
Curry recipes to suit every taste
The perfect pocket-sized book of curries!
Introduction
Only the dark, outer leaves of the cabbage were originally included in this recipe, but I often add some of the inner cabbage together with a small amount of shrimp or anchovy paste.
Ingredients
| 450g (1lb) | bok choi, other cabbage, cabbage greens or spring greens |
| 100g (4oz) | red pepper |
| 50g (2oz) | shallots or onions |
| 2 | large garlic cloves |
| ½ tsp | shrimp or anchovy paste (optional) |
| ¼ tsp | chilli powder |
| 6 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| ½ tsp | salt |
Essential kit
You will need an electric blender.
Method
Wash the cabbage leaves and drain. Stacking several of them together, cut them crossways into long, fine 3mm (1⁄8 in) wide shreds.
Core and de-seed the red pepper, then chop coarsely. Peel and coarsely chop the shallots and garlic. Put the red pepper, shallots or onions, garlic, shrimp or anchovy paste, chilli powder and 3 tablespoons water in an electric blender. Blend until a coarse paste results – it should not be too smooth.
Set a wok over a high heat. When hot, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, put in the spice paste. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the oil separates and the mixture is dark red in colour. Add the cabbage and salt and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Cover tightly, turn the heat to medium–low and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the cabbage is just cooked. (No water should be needed, but check after 5–6 minutes and add a little if the mixture appears dry.) Turn into a warmed dish and serve at once.
