Commie Chef: Stir-fried red cabbage

In many parts of China people are suspicious of raw vegetables, so stir-fries like this one play the role of salads.

The fast cooking method and the fact that the vegetables in a stir-fry are very lightly cooked preserves nutritional value well.

Red cabbage is in season at this time of year and makes a colourful, tasty and nutritious basis for this quick, easy-to-prepare stir fry.

If the outer leaves are in good condition, wrap them in newspaper, put them in the fridge, and use them tomorrow just steamed and served as an accompaniment, perhaps added to the other half of this red cabbage, though that could also be used for a salad.

Incidentally, I’m personally a big fan of red cabbage but this recipe will work just as well with any crunchy cabbage.

Ingredients
- ½ large red cabbage, outer leaves removed and rest shredded
- 1oz/30g unsalted cashew nuts or peanuts
- Small onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, or more, to taste, crushed or grated
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1tbsp peanut oil — or other non-hydrogenated vegetable oil
- 1 level tbsp ground fresh ginger, or ½ level tsp dried ginger powder
- black pepper

What to do
Add the oil to a wok or large frying pan until very hot, the oil close to smoking.

In very quick succession add the onion, garlic and ginger, nuts and then the cabbage.

Lastly, add the soy sauce and stir to coat, and then the pepper.

You must do all of this very quickly to avoid burning, constantly stirring.

Add extra oil if you think it might catch.

Cook until heated through but still crunchy.

Serve immediately with rice or noodles and an egg, fish or meat dish.