Baby Napa Cabbage & Mung Bean Vermicelli(蒜蓉粉絲蒸娃娃菜)
My first noodle recipe!
When my family and I went to Hong Kong this spring, we went to the famous Sheung Hei Restaurant in Kennedy Town. After ordering the bou jai fan dishes that the restaurant is known for, we asked the waitress for recommendations for a vegetable side dish, and she suggested the baby napa cabbage, a.k.a. wa wa choy (娃娃菜 — “wa wa” being the onomatopoeia of a baby crying). It was popular among their regulars. She didn’t give many details about how the choy would be prepared but we were game to be surprised. What came out were wedges of steamed baby napa cabbage loaded with minced garlic, resting on a bed of mung bean vermicelli that was dressed in a savory garlic soy sauce. I had seen this kind of preparation before with shrimp but not wa wa choy before, and it was delicious! As I ate it, I already started to think about how I’d make it my own back home, and now I can finally share that with you.
In many ways, a dish like this is the perfect way to showcase the fresh napa cabbage that we have in season. Baby napa cabbage is preferable to larger varieties because it’s less watery, more tender, and has more of that beautiful Brassica flavor. (This advice goes for many other kinds of choy, too.) Even if you can’t find something in the store or market labeled “baby napa cabbage” explicitly, you can find it yourself by looking for heads of napa cabbage that fit in the palm of your hand.
Though Sheung Hei steams all the ingredients in the dish together, in my version, I’ve chosen to char the wa wa choy using a dual frying and steaming technique to bring out its natural nutty and earthy flavor, as well as to add smokiness and texture. It’s similar to the way potstickers are made. I’ve tried charring napa cabbage in the oven, but it just fell apart or became soggy. Trust me, this method is way, way better.
This dish is flexible. Add a protein to make it a full meal; swap out the oyster sauce for more soy sauce and some sugar to make it vegan; add more sauteed garlic on top if you want to make it closer to the traditional version (or if you just really love garlic). Any way you adjust it, it’ll still be incredibly delicious.
the recipe
Serves 4 as a side dish
150 g dried mung bean vermicelli
1/2 head of baby napa cabbage
2 tsp salt
4-5 Tbsp high-smoke point neutral oil
1-1.5 oz garlic
3-4 Tbsp soy sauce
2-3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 cup water and more as needed
your favorite chili crisp (optional)
Prepare the produce: Mince the garlic. Cut the cabbage into 1-inch wedges.
Prepare the mung bean vermicelli: Soak the vermicelli in boiling water for about 6-7 minutes. While that’s happening, heat about 2 Tbsp of oil in a small pot on low-medium heat, then add the minced garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds, then stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water (adjust seasonings to taste). Let this simmer for about a minute. When the vermicelli has finished soaking, drain well and snip into shorter strands (5-6 inches). Add the vermicelli to a large bowl and dress with the sauce so that it evenly coats the noodles. Spread the noodles out over a shallow dish.
Char the cabbage: Heat a frying pan (stainless steel, cast iron, or nonstick work best) to medium heat. If using stainless steel (my preferred choice), heat to the point that adding a drop of water to the pan makes it dance across the surface. Add a few Tbsp of oil and then gently lay the cabbage wedges into the pan. Sprinkle with salt, and let it char for 2-3 minutes before flipping the wedges to the other side. Sprinkle with a pinch more salt, add about 2-3 Tbsp water to the pan, and cover immediately. Wait for the water to be absorbed and turned into steam (about 3-4 minutes). Uncover.
Plate: Lay the cabbage on the bed of noodles. Top with chili crisp if you’d like (but it’s just as good without it, too). Serve!
