This cabbage came out of my father’s vegetable patch. Peel off the outer green leaves and there is a faint gold underneath — so golden cabbage it is. Our own cabbage, then, and a shallot sauce there is nothing quite like.


Ingredients:
Golden cabbage, half (about 800 g)
Pork, cut into strips 50 g
Dried shrimp 2 tbsp (about 14 g)
Dried flatfish, 2 small pieces (about 13 g)
Oil or pork lard 2 tbsp
Dried shiitake 2 (about 4 g)
Wood ear, a little
Chilli 1 (leave it out if you would rather)
Water 100 ml

Seasoning:
Cheng Chi shallot sauce 3 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Mushroom seasoning powder 1/4 tsp (or about 1 tbsp of sugar instead)


Method:
1. Soak the shiitake and wood ear until soft and slice. Rinse the dried shrimp.
2. Heat oil in a wok and fry the dried flatfish until fragrant, then add the shredded shiitake, dried shrimp and pork strips in that order and fry.
3. Add the shredded wood ear, shallot sauce, salt and seasoning powder and stir briefly.
4. Add the water, bring to the boil, add the washed and chopped cabbage, stir through, then cover and braise over a low heat for about 40 minutes.

My rather particular son said: “It is good — a bit hot, though.” I thought it was excellent.