4 tbsp soy sauce,
1 tbsp oyster sauce (if available),
1 tsp toasted sesame oil,
1 tbsp honey or 1 tsp brown sugar,
2 tbsp water,
1 tsp cornstarch,
a little black pepper
to taste, chili flakes or sambal oelek to taste
You usually only need very little salt, because soy sauce and oyster sauce already provide plenty of seasoning.
If I don’t have oyster sauce at home, I simply leave it out and add an extra tablespoon of soy sauce instead. The dish still tastes wonderful.
preparation
First, I always prepare everything, because once the pan is hot, it goes pretty quickly.
Halve the Chinese cabbage lengthwise, cut out the tough core at the bottom, and then slice it into strips that aren’t too thin. I make them about one to two centimeters wide. I wouldn’t slice the cabbage too finely, otherwise it will become mushy very quickly when frying, and you’ll lose that lovely texture you see in the picture.
Peel the carrots and cut them into thin sticks or coarsely grate them. I usually use a julienne peeler because the fine strips cook quickly and look nice. A regular grater works just as well, though.
Wash the spring onions and slice them into rings. I separate the lighter, white parts from the green parts. The white parts will be sautéed later, while the green parts will be added just before serving.
Finely chop or grate the garlic and ginger.
Then I’ll start by mixing the sauce. For that, put soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, honey, water, and cornstarch into a small bowl and mix thoroughly. If you like it a bit spicier, add chili flakes or a little sambal oelek now.
Cornstarch isn’t essential, but I find it helps the sauce cling to the ground meat and vegetables much better. Without it, the liquid quickly pools at the bottom of the pan. A small amount creates a glossy, flavorful sauce that stays exactly where it should.
Now, get a large frying pan or wok really hot.
Add the oil and then add the minced meat.
And here’s something I do that really makes a difference: I don’t immediately start stirring it frantically. I first spread the ground meat in the hot pan and let it sit for about a minute. This gives it nice brown spots on the bottom.
Only then do I break it apart with the wooden spoon.
Fry the meat vigorously for about five to seven minutes until it is crumbly and nicely browned in several places.
If ground meat only turns gray, it will still taste good later, but it will lack those roasted flavors. This is especially noticeable in a simple dish with few ingredients.
If the meat releases a lot of liquid, feel free to fry it a little longer at high heat until the liquid has evaporated.
Now add the garlic, ginger and the white parts of the spring onions.
Fry everything for about one minute.
By now, the whole kitchen smells wonderful.
First, add the carrots. They take a little longer than the Chinese cabbage, so I let them cook with the ground meat for about two minutes.
Then add the Chinese cabbage.
