Stir fried Chinese cabbage and bell pepper

Cabbage: a familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a man's head - Ambrose Bierce

Another delicious stir-fried dish made with Chinese cabbage and bell pepper, my way.  I use the same seasoning for most of my vegetables dishes.

I don't like ginger in stir fry and don't like chilli heat either, so I leave them out.

Ingredients for 3-4 servings

1 tbsp grapeseed or rapseed oil*

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small shallot, minced

5-7 leaves of Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage), washed, white parts and leaves separated, cut into 5-7 cm

1 small red bell pepper, washed, peeled, cut into thin strips

optional, garnish: herbs (chives, coriander...)

Seasoning (for any stir fry vegetables)

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch cane sugar

1/2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp Maggi Seasoning

1 tbsp cider vinegar

optional: vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce

=> I don't use oyster sauce and I add hoisin sauce, sometimes, in noodle soups.  Try to avoid additives and preservatives as much as possible (there are already some in soy and Maggi sauce).

=> That's why, I won't use Balsamic vinegar anymore except those which don't contain sugar colorant (E150).

Sauce

100 ml water

1/2 tsp potato starch

1/2 tsp Maggi Seasoning

=> place in a small bowl and mix well

=> when I add this mixture in the recipe, I eat the dish with rice noodles

* I'm going to stop using olive oil :

• first, it is more and more expensive and above all, olive oil scams are proliferating

• if it is not scammed, the study found traces of mineral oil-saturated hydrocarbons and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons which can migrate into foods during production and transportation (organic or not)... and it accumulate in the liver and lymphoid system of the body, causing inflammation

Method

I don't have wok, I use a stainless steel stewpan.  Even with a large frying pan, the grease splatter escape from it.

1. Heat the oil over high heat, add garlic and shallot, stir fry 1-2 mins until they start to brown.

2. Add white parts of cabbage and bell pepper, and cook, tossing often for about 2-3 mins.

3. Add green leaves, and toss them for about 1-2 mins until they are  slightly cooked.

4. Add seasoning, and keep stirring over high heat for 3-4 mins until the vegetables are a little softened.

5. Add the sauce, mix well, and cook until the sauce has thickened and coated the vegetables.

Serve with rice or noodles.  I like eating them with flat rice noodles, and a few drops of lime juice.

another version with carrot