Savory Seasoned Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry with Doenjang
Quick Side Dish: Doenjang-Seasoned Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage
When you have some extra time, it’s great to buy several heads of napa cabbage, blanch them, and portion them into single-serving packs for freezing. They’re perfect for making stews! I’ve previously made stews with this blanched and frozen napa cabbage, and today I decided to try stir-frying it into a side dish. It turned out wonderfully fresh and flavorful!
Main Ingredients- 1 handful blanched napa cabbage (approx. 100-150g)
- 1/2 stalk green onion (white and green parts separated)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the blanched napa cabbage that has been stored in the freezer. Take out the cabbage portions you pre-portioned and frozen into handfuls to defrost. When using frozen cabbage, it’s best to let it thaw slightly before using. Be careful, as it might be too hard to cut if still frozen solid.
Step 2
Once the cabbage is thawed, cut it into bite-sized pieces and place it in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of doenjang, and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil for marinating. Gently mix everything together, ensuring the seasonings are evenly distributed through the cabbage. This step seasons the cabbage.
Step 3
Now, let’s start stir-frying. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil and 2 Tbsp of sesame oil for stir-frying. Using a generous amount of sesame oil will add a rich, nutty flavor. Once the pan is hot, finely chop the white part of the green onion (about half a stalk) and stir-fry until fragrant to create aromatic oil.
Step 4
As the aroma of the green onion starts to develop, add 1 Tbsp of red pepper flakes (gochugaru) and stir-fry quickly. Gochugaru can burn easily, so it’s important to reduce the heat to low or briefly remove the pan from the heat to prevent burning while stir-frying. This step will add a spicy fragrance as the vibrant red color develops.
Step 5
Add the marinated napa cabbage to the pan and stir-fry it with the other ingredients. Since the frozen cabbage was marinated beforehand, some moisture might be released during stir-frying. Continue to stir-fry, allowing this liquid to evaporate and the seasoning to meld well with the cabbage.
Step 6
Stir-fry until the delicious seasoning is well absorbed into the napa cabbage. Once the cabbage has softened slightly and the seasoning is nicely incorporated, add the chopped green parts of the green onion (the remaining half stalk) and stir-fry once more briefly. The green parts add a fresh color and aroma.
Step 7
Once all ingredients are well stir-fried, turn off the heat. Finally, sprinkle in 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds and mix thoroughly. Your delicious doenjang-seasoned stir-fried napa cabbage is ready! The nutty flavor of the sesame seeds makes it even more enjoyable. Serve with warm rice and enjoy!
