Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage with Quail Eggs is a savory cabbage stir-fry side dish. The cabbage tastes sweet, juicy, and super easy to make. Serve it with or without the quail eggs.
If adding the quail eggs, bring a pot of water to boil that’s about 1-inch above to cover the eggs. Lower the heat to simmer, carefully add the eggs and simmer for 3 ½ to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Soak them in cold water and peel the hard boiled eggs. Set aside ready to use.
Dice the napa cabbage. Dice the white stem parts to roughly one-inch sections and the leafy parts to roughly two-inch sections or larger. Julienne the carrots. Mince the garlic and ginger. In a small bowl, mix well the starch with 1 tbsp water.
Preheat a large saute pan over medium-low heat until it feels warm when placing your palm near the surface, about 2-3 inches away. Add 2 tbsp oil. Saute the garlic and ginger with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 seconds.
Add the carrots and cabbage stems with 1/2 tsp salt. Saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until the stems become softer yet still have some crunch.
Add the cabbage leaves with ½ tbsp oil. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add coconut aminos and quail eggs, if using. Give another quick toss.
Stir the starch one more time then add it to the pan. Keep tossing and scooping for about 30 seconds to thicken the liquid.
Turn off the heat. Transfer to a large serving plate. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle furikake, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
How to dice napa cabbage:
Dice off the bottom end of the cabbage
Slice the cabbage in half, lengthwise from the top to the bottom.
Make another slice lengthwise into quarters
Dice to separate leafy and white stem parts.
Chop the stems to smaller sections, roughly one-inch
Slice the leaves to larger sections, roughly two-inch or larger
I like to use Takii’s umami mushroom powder (product link above) to replace salt. This seasoning adds extra savory deliciousness. Please note that not every mushroom powder tastes the same and this particular brand tastes most close to Japanese and Asian flavored dishes.Feel free to add snow peas and/or sugar snap peas, if you like! :)