Chili Crunch Sautéed Cabbage

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 5 minutes
• total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 small head cabbage (green, savoy or Napa)

3 Tablespoons unrefined extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

6 cloves garlic (peeled and thinly sliced)

2- inch knob ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)

4 scallions (whites cut into 1-inch pieces, greens finely chopped and reserved for garnish)

Sea salt to taste

2-3 teaspoons chili crunch (homemade or store-bought)

1-2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce (good quality soy sauce is labeled shoyu or tamari or coconut aminos)

Optional: 3 heaping cups baby spinach or “Power Greens” (bagged baby mixed greens)

Optional garnish: furikake seasoning (I buy from Trader Joe’s)

Directions

To chop the cabbage, cut the cabbage down the middle and split it into two equal halves. Cut out and discard the white core. Place each half down on its cut side and cut 2-inch strips. Spin the cutting board 90 degrees and make vertical cuts perpendicular to the previous cuts to slice the strips into squares. The goal is to make everything about the same size.

Put the largest heavy-bottomed skillet you have available over medium heat. Add the oil and when it’s warm but not smoking, add in ginger, sliced garlic, and scallion whites (remember to save the scallion greens). Sauté and stir constantly until the garlic JUST begins to turn golden brown in color (about 2 minutes).

Bring the heat to medium-high and add in the cabbage and a generous pinch of salt. If your skillet is too small for all the cabbage to fit at once, you can add the cabbage in batches (the cabbage will shrink down after a few minutes). Sauté the cabbage - I like it soft and tender, but to still have a slight crispness (about 8-10 minutes). Stir often.

Add chili crunch, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and spinach. Toss, making sure all of the cabbage is coated. You can taste here and adjust the seasoning to your preference. Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl and garnish with the sliced scallion greens. Serve warm (but it is also delicious as leftovers cold).