Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Cantonese Braised Napa Cabbage with Jinhua Ham
金華火腿扒津白
Recipe overview
Napa cabbage is gently braised until sweet and tender, then served with savoury Jinhua ham broth and a light glaze.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 900 g napa cabbage
- 60 g Jinhua ham
- 15 g ginger
- 500 ml superior stock
Braising sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 0.25 tsp ground white pepper
Cooking oil
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Finishing slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
02
Tools
- wide lidded pot
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- small bowl
- spatula
- slotted spoon
- measuring cup
03
Steps
Step 1
Wash the cabbage
Separate the leaves, rinse every stem crevice and drain well.
Step 2
Trim the leaves
Cut stems with leaves into 12 cm lengths and split thick stems lengthways.
Step 3
Slice ham and ginger
Cut Jinhua ham into thin slices and slice the ginger.
Step 4
Mix the slurry
Stir cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl; stir again before use.
Step 5
Fry the ginger
Heat oil in the wide pot over medium heat and fry ginger for about 30 seconds.
Step 6
Fry the ham briefly
Add Jinhua ham and fry for 1 minute to release its fat and aroma.
Step 7
Add the stock
Pour in stock, Shaoxing wine, sugar and white pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 8
Braise the stems first
Add the thick cabbage stems, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes.
Step 9
Add the leaves
Add remaining leaves, press gently into the broth, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 10
Check tenderness
A chopstick should easily pierce each stem while the cabbage still holds its shape.
Step 11
Plate and reduce
Arrange cabbage neatly with a slotted spoon and keep the broth gently simmering.
Step 12
Thicken and finish
Restir the slurry and add gradually, stirring to a light coating consistency, then spoon ham and sauce over cabbage.
Common mistakes
- Dirt remains if the cabbage stem crevices are not washed.
- Cooking leaves with thick stems from the start makes leaves collapse.
- Adding salt without tasting salty ham and stock over-seasons the dish.
- Adding all slurry at once creates lumps and an overly thick sauce.
Tips
Jinhua ham and stock already supply salt, so no extra salt is included; add slurry gradually and stop at a fluid sauce that lightly coats a spoon.
