Chinese Cabbage Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Family favourite easy Chinese steamed cabbage rolls recipe, stuffed with juicy chicken and vegetable fillings and steamed to perfection. Serve it with a flavorful, glossy sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 132kcal

Author: Khin

Equipment

1 Steamer with rack or Large pot with rack for steaming

Ingredients

10-12 Cabbage leaves Napa cabbage or a choice of green or savoury sabbage
200 grams Chicken mince About 7oz, Chicken or a choice of ground turkey or meat
3-4 Mushrooms Regular button or shiitake
1 Carrot Grated or finely chopped
3-4 Spring onions Finely chopped, ( plus extra for garnish )

Seasoning

1 tbsp Light soy sauce Or all-purpose soy sauce
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp White pepper or black pepper
1 tsp Garlic Grated garlic or paste
1 tsp Ginger Grated or paste
1 tsp Sesame oil
2 tsp Cornstarch

Sauce

1½ tbsp Light soy sauce Or all-purpose soy sauce
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tsp Cornstarch
½ cup Water
1 tsp Sesame oil

Instructions

Prepare the Cabbage

Start by cutting off the tough base of the cabbage and gently separating the leaves. Trim any thick veins if needed.
Blanch them in boiling water for about a minute, just until they soften. This makes them easy to roll without tearing.

Make the Filling

In a bowl, mix together the chicken mince, finely chopped mushrooms, grated carrot, and spring onions. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.

Roll the Cabbage

Lay one cabbage leaf flat and place about 2-3 tablespoons of filling near the base. Fold the sides inward, then roll it up tight like a burrito. ( If you want to make them extra pretty, tie each roll with a blanched spring onion strip. )

Steam the Rolls

Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down on a heat-proof plate. Steam over boiling water on high heat for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. ( The exact time will depend on how large your rolls are. ) ( You can discard the steamed water or keep the steamed water from the plate and use it in the sauce instead of water. )

Make the Sauce

While the rolls are steaming, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and water in a small saucepan. Stir well until the cornstarch dissolves. Heat the pan gently and simmer until starting to thicken and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in a little sesame oil for aroma.

Garnish and Serve

Transfer the steamed cabbage rolls to a serving plate, spoon the sauce over the top, and finish with chopped spring onions. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

Don’t overcook the rolls, or the cabbage gets mushy and the filling dry.
If you don’t have chicken, pork, shrimp, turkey, lamb, or beef mince, all work well. Mixing chicken with shrimp is great, too.
To check if the fillings are fully cooked, cut one roll. If it is juicy, no longer pink in the centre, and the cabbage is tender but still holding its shape, the fillings are fully cooked. If you’re not sure, simply cut one roll open to check. ( That’s what I always do. ) Or use a food thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F) for chicken.
This recipe serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main meal.

Nutrition