Napa cabbage and crumbled tempeh rice noodles
Napa cabbage (known as wombok in Australia or Chinese cabbage in UK) is the perfect variety to stir-fry. I love how sweet they become, with a hefty juiciness too. In this simple dish, they are stirfried with rice vermicelli noodles (though you could use other noodles too), in a tangy black vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil seasoning sauce.
Black vinegar is mildly tart but very umami. It is definitely a pantry essential as the flavor is hard to replicate. Some say you can substitute with a blend of balsamic vinegar and rice vinegar – try this if you are in a pinch, but in the long run, grab a bottle of black vinegar 😉 I use Chinkiang brand which is a specific type of Chinese black vinegar. I’ve tried other brands, many of which are excellent (especially ones from Japan), but I find myself going back to Chinkiang because that is the one my mother uses. Black vinegar is also excellent as a potsticker dipping sauce (my daughter’s favourite).
The tempeh crumbles add heft (dare I say, protein?!!) but also a creamy texture. Even those who aren’t sold on tempeh wouldn’t protest to this preparation. When they are crumbled and stir-fried, their lumpy texture becomes more robust. For those who find tempeh bitter, try boiling the whole block before using it. If you really don’t enjoy tempeh, you can substitute with tofu, but I encourage you to give it another go.
Napa cabbage and crumbled tempeh rice noodles
Ingredients
- 150 g rice vermicelli (or other noodle)
- sea salt and black pepper
- neutral oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts separated and cut into 1-inch/2.5cm pieces
- 450 g napa cabbage (wombok), halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch/2.5cm chunks
- 1 Thai Birds Eye chili, trimmed and thinly sliced (or 1 teaspoon crush red pepper/chili flakes)
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
- 4 teaspoons black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Tempeh crumbles
- 225 g tempeh, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the rice vermicelli and cook until the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. They don’t have to be completely cooked through as they will be stir-fried.
- Place the crumbled tempeh into a medium bowl and add the soy sauce, sesame oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high until it’s very hot and smoking. Drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and add the garlic, ginger and white parts of the scallions. Toss until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tempeh and cook, tossing often, until it starts to char and stick to the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Next, toss in the cabbage and chili and toss until the cabbage has just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Finally, add the noodles, black vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss until the noodles are well coated and are completely cooked through. If you like more of a smoky flavor, let it cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes so the bottom of the noodles chars (this is optional). Turn off the heat and add the green parts of the scallions. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately.
