“Bap Cai Xao Trung” Móm Vietnamese Cabbage and Egg Stir Fry Recipe

I love boiled cabbage and what better day to celebrate St. Patrick’s day then to have some cabbage. If you ever wondered what the correlation was with cabbage and Ireland- it’s because it was a very inexpensive and nutrient dense vegetable.

Cabbage, aka “Bap Cai”, is simarly a very popular vegetable for Vietnamese households as well especially during the cold season. It’s a sweet vegetable that is very rounded with vitamins and taught for it’s disease preventative properties. Cabbage is also quintessential storage vegetable because it keeps so well in the fridge. You can literally shrink wrap quarters of cabbage for weeks/months at a time.

This easy to prepare vegetable side that compliments many Vietnamese meats like Thit Ram, with spinach or mustard soup, or can be eaten alone with rice as well. Tender but crisp stir fried cabbage is combined with eggs.

With both of my parents working full time jobs growing up, we saw this dish on many rotations. My parents made it because it was so quick, easy, and tasty. It’s a country comfort food that’s also healthy and light.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 head of cabbage (cut thin, about 1 1/2 lbs of cabbage)

1 Shallot onion (minced)

2-3 Garlic Cloves Minced

1 1/2 tbs oil (Light EVOO, or Teaseed Oil)

1/3 cups water

4-5 large eggs

1-2 stalks of green scallion (cut thinly, green parts only)

Sea salt

Black pepper

Fish Sauce (*Optional to taste)

PREPARATION

1. Shred, wash, and drain and spin cabbage or pat dry and set aside in colander.

2. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, add 1/4 tsp sea salt, and hand mix with a fork until evenly combined.

3. Heat a large non-stick pan an on high and heat 3 tbs oil until hot and glossy. Add onions until a lil transparent, then add garlic and cook over med-high heat for about 15 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add in the cabbage and saute the cabbage for about a minute, then add water and 1/2 tsp sea salt until cabbage is softened, glistening and a little transparent (a couple minutes, you still want it to have a little crisp to it, not soggy/mushy). Do not let cabbage brown. If needed add a tbs of water so cabbage doesn’t dry out and burn.

5. Over high heat, add egg mixture over the cabbage and let eggs set for a couple minutes. Then lightly stir (don’t over stir or eggs will be lumpy).

6. Add in the chopped green onions, black pepper. Saute for 1 -2 minutes until the eggs are set and no longer runny. Taste, add fish sauce (optional) or additional salt/pepper. Then remove from heat.

7. Transfer to serving plate, garnish with some fresh black pepper, and serve with bowls of hot jasmine rice.