Here’s how you can support us. Continue to toss and stir constantly until the cabbage leaves have softened and any extra liquid has … Don't worry, fish sauce adds a wonderful unami flavor to food. Finally, speed is of the essence, which is great when you’re hungry (or Hulk level hangry) and want to eat quickly! But the regular round one will work just fine. Cut the cabbage into eight equal wedges and core each wedge, separating the leaves (see the first picture). Set a large wok over high heat. We had just finished discussing Kaeng Som when T’s eyes wandered towards our favorite young coconut vendor1 just outside the park gate and K brought up something I thought was interesting: fish sauce stir-fries. The purple variety is actually known as red cabbage to most horticulturists but let’s be honest here: it’s purple. And so it is with the deceptively irresistible ka lum plee pad nam pla; I could eat it almost on its own, requiring only a bowl or two of hot steamed jasmine rice as accompaniment. Beyond the easy pleasures of a blue pea flower (dok anchan) herbal tea, I am reminded of how some of the tastiest Thai delicacies don’t require much embellishments. How could something so simple be so good? This incredibly simple 4-ingredient cabbage recipe has gained much popularity in Thailand because it is such a delicious side vegetable to go with just about any Thai meal! The rest of the ingredients are quite straightforward: vegetable oil or any neutral oil so as not to distract from the aroma of the nam pla; the fish sauce offers a lovely umami flavour and by allowing to caramelise on the sides of the hot wok, we add more depth of flavour too; garlic for its redoubtable fragrance; and a dash of ground white pepper to balance the pungency of the garlic and the sweetness of the fish sauce caramelised cabbage. In a wok or large carbon steel or stainless steel skillet, heat oil over high heat until just smoking. Let the fish sauce creates steam on the hot wok so that fish sauce steam will cover and cook the cabbage. Why stick with just plain old green cabbage when you can have half of it in glorious purple too? “Can you believe it?” said K. “Stir-fried vegetables with fish sauce are making a comeback.”. And if the current going menu prices mean anything, it’s back with a vengeance — screaming, “I’m not gonna be ignored!” in the style of Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction. This allows the fish sauce to caramelise and add an extra layer of flavours to the cabbage. Once the wok is hot, add the oil and minced garlic at the same time; stir it around constantly. But K’s right: the down-home dish that we grew up with, the one we’ve taken for granted and abandoned for the more complex version of the same thing, is back. Leave it for 20 second or count 1 – 10. Despite the difference in colour, you can prepare both types of cabbages the same way: separate the leaves from the core and wash them thoroughly before tearing into bite sized pieces by hand. For more Weekend Kitchen and other slice-of-life stories, visit lifeforbeginners.com. Last weekend, when I made my sapphire sizzler, it was a trip down memory lane or some bustling soi in Bangkok’s Thonglor neighbourhood at least. There are more things that have come up during my conversations with T and K. I’ll report them to you in due time. 3/4 pound boneless pork sirloin or boneless chicken thighs or breasts, sliced thinly against the grain (optional) We know what makes mild-mannered Dr Bruce Banner transform into the green goliath. The colour is important: the purple hue is derived from the presence of pigments from the family of anthocyanins (which gives açaí, raspberries and cherries their colour too). One of the Seven Deadly Sins, for sure. It's the perfect combination of salty and savory! Better known as ka lum plee pad nam pla in Thai, this is a simple dish of cabbage stir fried in nam pla or Thai fish sauce. Once the garlic is fragrant and golden (not blackened), add both the purple and green cabbage., to ensure every cabbage leaf is lightly coated in oil and none of the garlic is burnt. He’s just hangry. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced Perhaps it’s understandable why Banner would hulk out from time to time. I prefer Asian style cabbage with more delicate leaves. 1 Tbsp good quality fish sauce, see fish sauce I recommend in this “Fish Sauce Tasting” video But for those of you who didn’t grow up eating this at home for breakfast (yes), lunch, and dinner, this is something you definitely want to write home about. Transfer garlic-chili puree to a large mixing bowl and stir in lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Serve this with rice and have a little bowl of nampla prik nearby. … This could be because — to take the expression a bit too literally — it’s kind of awkward to write home about something you normally find at home. The idea for this post, for example, was generated by K during one of our breathless, sweaty walks. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), 6-8 garlic cloves, crushed and coarsely chopped, ½ small green cabbage, leaves torn into smaller pieces by hand, ½ small purple cabbage, leaves torn into smaller pieces by hand. Season with the ground white pepper and give one last stir. This won’t take more than 30 seconds. 2 tablespoons fish sauce No need to break out into green muscle and purple pants. Two of my favourite places to have it in Bangkok are Kaobahn, run by the brother of the National Thailand Brewer’s Cup 2016 Champion no less, and Kub Kao’ Kub Pla. For at Kub Kao’ Kub Pla, the cabbage comes in twin hues of green and purple, you see. Toss in the cabbage, then turn the heat up to high and toss to get the leaves coated in oil. It was at the latter that I discovered a Hulk-appropriate version of this dish. Set a large wok over high heat. It’s comfort food, this, Thai style. There are some crushed garlic for aroma and a dash of ground white pepper before serving, to balance all the flavours, but little else. Heat a wok over medium heat and add just a little oil to coat the bottom. 'Nam pla' or Thai fish sauce adds a caramelised flavour to the stir fried cabbage. Hard to believe how good this is given how few ingredients there are, but it’s such a useful dish to have in your repertoire because you can cook it up in an instant on a busy weeknight! Please specify an ID for the Contact Form in Theme Options > Single Post/Video > Video Report Form, Garlicky Cabbage & Fish Sauce Side Dish กะหล่ำปลีผัดนำ้ปลา, see fish sauce I recommend in this “Fish Sauce Tasting” video. Have some stir fried green and purple cabbage instead, redolent of fish sauce and all things simple yet good. Pour fish sauce on the wok around the cabbage. Fury. (You can chop them too but it won’t look as nice. Remove from heat, plate, and garnish with an extra sprinkling of pepper if desired. With K’s home life growing up pretty similar to mine, we both are puzzled by this unlikely phenomenon of a dish being elevated to a height it had never before seen — not that it’s a bad thing. Green cabbage we’re all familiar with, of course. Next pour the fish sauce around the inner sides of the wok, allowing them to trickle down to the cabbage and steam. 2 tablespoons water or sodium-free broth, Khanom Badin: Thai-Muslim Butter Cake (ขนมบดิน). Now you may make it yourself in the comforts of your own home. Using a large wok, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. … Ah but the best things in life are often the simplest, you see. Wrath. Alternatively, to make it easier to eat, you can also quarter the cabbage, core each quarter, and slice it into 1/2-inch strips (see the third picture). It's a must for Vietnamese, Thai or Indonesian cuisine, though you'll find yourself using it in all kinds of recipes! I can testify to this; I grew up in the era when every flippin’ thing stir-fried Chinese-style with oyster sauce was so special and something worth going to a restaurant for, whereas simple stir-fries with fish sauce were, as you Americans like to say, nothing to write home about.