Chap Chye

Method17 steps · about 1 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash and drain the 450–500 g cabbage, then cut it into chunks. Have all the hydrated ingredients, chopped garlic and fermented-curd paste ready before frying.

   Uses 450–500 g cabbage · Water, as needed to wash the cabbage

2. 2

   Step 2: Rinse the dried shiitake and soak in hot water for about 15 minutes, continuing until fully soft. Lift them out, rinse and squeeze dry, then cut into halves. Drain and discard their soaking and washing water; keep the mushrooms for the braise.

   Check the shiitake hydration · 15 minUses 6–8 dried shiitake mushrooms · Hot water, enough for the shiitake soak · Water, as needed to rinse the mushrooms

3. 3

   Step 3: Soak the cloud fungus, wood-ear fungus, glass noodles and lily buds in four separate bowls of water for about 15 minutes. Continue soaking until the fungi have expanded and are soft, the noodles are pliable and the lily buds are softened. Drain each separately. Keep the cloud fungus and noodles ready, and finish preparing the wood-ear and lily buds in the next two steps.

   Check the four hydration bowls · 15 minUses 20 g dried black cloud fungus · 10 g dried wood-ear fungus · 50 g dry glass noodles · 30 g dried lily buds · Water, as needed in four separate hydration bowls

4. 4

   Step 4: Tear off and discard the hard bases of the hydrated wood-ear fungus, then cut the soft parts into chunks. Keep them ready with the drained cloud fungus.

   Uses All the softened wood-ear fungus from step 3, with the other hydrated ingredients held separately

5. 5

   Step 5: Rinse the softened lily buds, remove their hard ends and tie each into a knot. Drain and reserve them with the softened glass noodles for the last ten-minute cooking phase.

   Uses All the softened lily buds from step 3, with the other hydrated ingredients held separately · Water, as needed to rinse the hydrated lily buds

6. 6

   Step 6: Peel the three garlic cloves and chop coarsely. Check that the ginkgo kernels have their shells, skins and central cores removed, and keep both garlic and kernels ready for their separate additions.

   Uses 3 garlic cloves · 40 g peeled, skinned and cored ginkgo kernels

7. 7

   Step 7: Cut the 100 g mock-goose soya-bean sheets into squares about 2 cm wide.

   Uses 100 g mock-goose soya-bean sheets

8. 8

   Step 8: Mash the three red fermented-bean-curd cubes with the measured 2 tsp of red liquid from the same jar, using the back of a spoon. Keep this paste ready beside the wok.

   Uses 3 red fermented-bean-curd cubes · 2 tsp red jar liquid

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat the 100 ml oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry a few mock-goose squares at a time, lowering the heat if they brown too quickly. Keep frying and draining batches until every square is golden and crisp; the number of batches depends on the wok.

   Uses 100 ml initial frying oil · All the squares cut from the 100 g sheet stock in step 7

10. 10

    Step 10: Drain the golden, crisp mock-goose squares on kitchen paper. Let them cool, then keep them in an airtight container so they remain crisp while the vegetables braise. Keep them out of the braise until serving.

    Uses All the crisp squares lifted from step 9, with wok oil kept separate

11. 11

    Step 11: Turn off the heat and carefully pour out excess frying oil into a heatproof container, retaining 3 tbsp of the same oil in the wok. Return the wok to high heat for the prepared aromatics.

    Uses The remaining oil from step 9, with fried sheets held separately

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the mashed red-curd paste and ready chopped garlic to the retained hot oil. Fry for a few seconds until aromatic, stirring and controlling the heat to avoid burning.

    Uses The 3 tbsp retained in the wok in step 11, with excess oil separate · All the curd and jar-liquid paste from step 8 · All the chopped garlic from step 6, with ginkgo held for a later addition

13. 13

    Step 13: Add all the prepared cabbage chunks and stir-fry to coat them in the curd and garlic. Add the measured 1 tbsp oyster sauce and mix well.

    Uses All the wok contents from step 12 · All the cabbage cut and drained in step 1, with wash water discarded · 1 tbsp oyster sauce

14. 14

    Step 14: Add all the prepared mushroom halves, cloud fungus, trimmed wood-ear pieces and ginkgo kernels. Stir until well mixed with the seasoned cabbage.

    Uses All the cabbage and sauce from step 13 · All the squeezed mushroom halves from step 2, with water discarded · All the cloud fungus hydrated in step 3, with the other ingredients used separately and water discarded · All the trimmed wood-ear pieces from step 4 · All 40 g prepared ginkgo kernels from step 6, with chopped garlic already used

15. 15

    Step 15: Pour in the 250 ml ready chicken stock and the separate measured 250 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, until the cabbage and fungi are tender to your liking. Continue gently if needed, keeping the mock-goose squares separate.

    Braise the cabbage and fungi · 40 minUses All the wok contents from step 14 · 250 ml ready chicken stock · 250 ml separate braise water

16. 16

    Step 16: Add the prepared lily buds and drained glass noodles last. Simmer for another 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked and the buds are tender but retain some texture. Stir gently so the noodles absorb the broth without sticking or becoming mushy.

    Finish with noodles and lily buds · 10 minUses All the braised vegetables and broth from step 15 · All the softened, trimmed and knotted lily buds from step 5, with rinse water discarded · All the glass noodles hydrated in step 3, with the other ingredients already used and water discarded

17. 17

    Step 17: Transfer the hot chap chye to a serving plate and sprinkle all the reserved crisp mock-goose squares over it just before serving. Share between six side-dish portions.

    Uses All the finished vegetables, noodles and broth from step 16 · All the crisp mock-goose squares reserved in step 10