Steamed Napa Cabbage with Vegetables and Dumplings
Healthy Diet Meal Using Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s Recipe: Steamed Napa Cabbage with Vegetables and Dumplings
For my husband, who’s been dedicated to his diet lately, I made this steamed napa cabbage dish using Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s sauce. I felt that just cabbage might be a bit plain, so I added a carrot from the fridge and some enoki mushrooms I found. Then, something felt missing, so I threw in some frozen dumplings from the freezer too! ^^ Before I knew it, it turned into ‘Steamed Napa Cabbage with Vegetables and Dumplings.’ To maximize the diet benefits, it’s best to skip the dumplings, of course! Haha. But in good conscience, I only added a few. Since the sauce is Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s special recipe, the taste is guaranteed! This sauce is also delicious when paired with other steamed fresh vegetables or meat. Steaming dumplings and topping them with this sauce felt like a new and exciting experience. It’s a refreshing sauce that cuts through any richness, so I think it can be used in many different ways. I had a light and delicious dinner of steamed cabbage, and my stomach felt so comfortable. It felt like I was dieting just by eating! ^^
Main Ingredients
- 1 head of Napa cabbage (baby variety preferred)
- 1 carrot
- 5 frozen dumplings
- 1/2 package of enoki mushrooms
Chef Lee Yeon-bok Style Sweet and Spicy Sauce
- 1/4 red bell pepper (finely minced)
- 1 stalk of garlic scapes (finely minced)
- 1 cheongyang chili pepper (seeds removed, finely minced)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp chili oil
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp water
- 6 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/4 red bell pepper (finely minced)
- 1 stalk of garlic scapes (finely minced)
- 1 cheongyang chili pepper (seeds removed, finely minced)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp chili oil
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp water
- 6 Tbsp vinegar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Trim the tough core from the bottom of the napa cabbage. Then, make cuts about 5cm deep from the core towards the leaves in a cross (+) shape. Gently pull the leaves apart with your hands; this method prevents the leaves from breaking and makes them easier to handle.
Step 2
Rinse the prepared napa cabbage thoroughly under running water. Make sure to clean between the leaves to remove any dirt.
Step 3
Trim the base of the enoki mushrooms and rinse them lightly. Peel the carrot and cut it into large, bite-sized pieces suitable for steaming.
Step 4
Add water to your steamer and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the napa cabbage and the large carrot pieces and steam for about 5 minutes. After the cabbage and carrots have softened slightly, add the frozen dumplings and enoki mushrooms, cover, and steam for another 5 minutes. Ensure the dumplings are cooked through without bursting.
Step 5
In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: minced red bell pepper, minced garlic scapes, minced cheongyang chili, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili oil, sugar, water, and vinegar. Stir well until all ingredients are fully incorporated to create the sauce.
Step 6
Arrange the steamed napa cabbage, carrots, and dumplings attractively on a serving plate. Consider the color arrangement to make the dish visually appealing.
Step 7
Just before serving, generously drizzle the prepared Chef Lee Yeon-bok style sweet and spicy sauce over the steamed napa cabbage, vegetables, and dumplings. The fresh vegetables and warm dumplings combined with the sauce will stimulate your appetite. Enjoy your delicious meal!
