Chinese Cabbage Rolls with Savory Mushroom and Pork Filling Recipe

Introduction

Chinese Cabbage Rolls are a delightful dish featuring tender napa cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory pork and shiitake mushroom filling. Steamed to perfection and served with a flavorful sauce, this recipe offers a comforting and elegant meal perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 16 napa cabbage leaves
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup minced napa cabbage white part
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (for the sauce)
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (for the sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for the sauce)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 scallion, sliced, white and green parts divided

Instructions

1. Step 1: Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes until soft. Remove and discard the stems, then squeeze out excess water and mince the caps.
2. Step 2: Separate the napa cabbage leaves and cut off the white parts. Mince the white parts until you have 1/2 cup.
3. Step 3: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the green parts of the napa cabbage leaves for about 20 seconds until softened. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, drain well, and set aside to cool.
4. Step 4: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, minced shiitake mushrooms, Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well until the mixture is sticky. Then fold in the 1/2 cup minced napa cabbage white part.
5. Step 5: To assemble the rolls, place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pork filling near the bottom of each napa cabbage leaf, leaving about 1 inch of leaf free of filling. Roll the leaf over the filling tightly, then fold in the sides and continue rolling to form a compact roll. Place each roll seam side down on a plate that fits your steamer. Avoid stacking; steam in batches if necessary.
6. Step 6: Set up a steamer and bring the water to a boil. Steam the cabbage rolls for 12 minutes until fully cooked.
7. Step 7: When done, carefully remove the plate from the steamer. Transfer the rolls to a clean serving plate and let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes to release excess moisture. Pour the liquid collected on the steaming plate into a bowl. Tilt the plate with the rolls to collect any additional juices and add them to the bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce.
8. Step 8: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until completely dissolved to make a slurry.
9. Step 9: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and the white parts of the scallion. Stir briefly to release aroma.
10. Step 10: Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and cook for about 20 seconds. Stir the cornstarch slurry again and slowly add about half of it to the skillet, stirring constantly. If the sauce does not thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon, gradually add more slurry until desired consistency is reached. Pour the thickened sauce over the cabbage rolls and garnish with the green parts of the scallion. Serve hot.

Tips & Variations

• Use fresh shiitake mushrooms if available, adjusting soaking time accordingly or omitting soaking.
• For a vegetarian version, substitute ground pork with finely chopped tofu or mushrooms and use vegetarian oyster sauce.
• Make sure to squeeze out excess water from blanched cabbage to prevent sogginess in the rolls.
• If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or a splash of rice vinegar can be a good substitute.

Storage

Store any leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently by steaming again or microwaving with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. The sauce may thicken after refrigeration; reheat and stir in a splash of water to loosen if needed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I freeze Chinese cabbage rolls?

Yes, you can freeze the assembled but unsteamed cabbage rolls. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before steaming.

How do I prevent the cabbage leaves from tearing?

Choose tender napa cabbage leaves that are not too large and blanch them briefly in boiling water to soften before rolling. Handle leaves gently while rolling to avoid tearing.

Chinese Cabbage Rolls with Savory Mushroom and Pork Filling Recipe

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Chinese Cabbage Rolls are a delicious and healthy main dish featuring tender napa cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful ground pork and shiitake mushroom filling. Steamed to perfection and served with a savory soy-based sauce thickened with a cornstarch slurry, this recipe offers a perfect balance of textures and authentic Chinese flavors.

• Author: lina
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cabbage Rolls:

• 16 napa cabbage leaves
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup minced napa cabbage white part

For the Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 scallion, sliced (white and green parts divided)

Instructions

1. Prepare shiitake mushrooms: Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes until they soften. Remove and discard the stems, then squeeze out excess water from the caps and mince them finely.
2. Prepare napa cabbage leaves: Choose medium-sized napa cabbage leaves and separate the white stalk parts from the green leafy parts. Mince the white cabbage stalk until you have about 1/2 cup.
3. Blanch napa cabbage leaves: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green parts of the napa cabbage leaves and blanch for 20 seconds until softened. Drain and rinse the leaves under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside to cool.
4. Mix pork filling: In a bowl, combine ground pork, minced shiitake mushrooms, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until the pork mixture becomes sticky. Add the minced white napa cabbage and mix again until well incorporated.
5. Assemble cabbage rolls: Take one blanched napa cabbage leaf and place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pork filling near the lower bottom edge, leaving about 1 inch of leaf free. Roll the leaf up over the filling, folding in both sides as you go to form a neat roll. Place each roll seam side down on a plate that fits your steamer. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling without stacking the rolls. Steam in batches if necessary.
6. Steam cabbage rolls: Prepare a steamer and bring water to a boil. Steam the cabbage rolls for 12 minutes until the pork is fully cooked and the rolls are tender.
7. Make the sauce base: Carefully remove the steaming plate and transfer the cabbage rolls to a clean serving plate. Let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes to release excess moisture. Pour the liquid collected from the steaming plate into a medium bowl, adding any pooled liquid from tilting the plate. Stir in oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce until combined.
8. Prepare cornstarch slurry: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until completely dissolved to make a slurry.
9. Cook the sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic and the white part of the scallion and stir briefly to release their fragrance.
10. Finish the dish: Pour the prepared sauce base into the skillet and cook for about 20 seconds. Stir the cornstarch slurry and gradually add about half of it into the skillet while stirring constantly. If the sauce isn’t thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add more slurry little by little until the desired thickness is reached. Pour the thickened sauce over the cabbage rolls, garnish with the green parts of the scallion, and serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

• Choose napa cabbage leaves that are medium-sized and not too large for easier rolling.
• Use about 1 to 2 tablespoons of pork filling per cabbage leaf to avoid overstuffing, which makes rolling difficult.
• The cornstarch slurry should be added gradually to control the thickness of the sauce precisely.
• Make sure to rinse the blanched cabbage leaves in cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain texture.
• Steaming can be done in batches if the steamer plate cannot hold all rolls at once to ensure even cooking.

Keywords: Chinese Cabbage Rolls, Napa Cabbage, Steamed Cabbage Rolls, Chinese pork rolls, Shiitake mushroom pork rolls