Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

This recipe calls for vegetarian oyster sauce, flavored with mushrooms instead of oysters. It is available in Asian markets.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 large cabbage leaves
• 2 dried mushrooms
• 30 grams straw mushrooms
• 30 grams silver sprouts*
• 3 water chestnuts**
• 1/4 carrot
• a little dried fungus
• a little black moss
• Seasoning:
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cornstarch Mixture:
• 40 ml water or liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 40 ml water (or stock if desired)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
• pepper to taste
• a few drops sesame oil
• 1 - 2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, as needed
  

PREPARATION:

Parboil cabbage leaves in the wok in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes. This will help the filling stick to the cabbage. Move the leaves around with chopsticks so they will soften.  Drain well.

Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for between 20 - 30 minutes. Save the soaking liquid to use if desired. Squeeze out any excess water from the mushrooms and cut off the stems.

Soak the black fungus in warm water for at least 15 minutes.  Rinse and trim the stems and cut off any stiff parts.  Soak the hair moss in warm water for 20 minutes and drain well.

Wash the water chestnuts and peel.  Wash and scrape the carrot. Rinse the silver sprouts and the straw mushrooms.

Shred all the ingredients.

Mix together the seasoning ingredients, adding 2 tablespoons of the reconstituted mushroom liquid if desired. Prepare the cornstarch/water mixture and the sauce.

Heat oil in wok.  When oil is ready, add the mushrooms, fungus, hair moss and silver sprouts, carrots and water chestnut and stir-fry on high heat. Add the seasonings with the mushroom stock. Add the cornstarch/water mixture, and 1/2 of the sauce and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. Divide the cooked filling into 6 portions. 

Lay out a cabbage leaf and place a portion of the filling on the end.  (If necessary, cut off the stiff rib of the leaf and place a small piece of cabbage over to cover.)  Roll up the cabbage tightly and trim off the ends if necessary. Continue with the remaining rolls.  

Steam the cabbage rolls on high heat for 5 minutes.  

Heat oil in wok and when ready, add the rest of the sauce.  Heat and pour on top of the cabbage rolls. Serve hot.  

*Silver sprouts are merely bean sprouts that have been "topped and tailed" - they have had both ends cut off.  The purpose is to make a more attractive dish.  If desired, you can skip this step and not trim the bean sprouts.

**If unavailable, substitute bamboo shoots

Yield: 6 Servings