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Chap Chye Recipe (Braised Mixed Vegetables)

Chap Chye in Hokkien means Mixed Vegetables and ‘Zhai’ in Cantonese means Vegetarian. There are many versions and styles in cooking Chap Chye. Each dialect group cooks it differently. The basic ingredients are almost the same except for the Hokkien and Nyonya, where yellow fermented bean (Tau Cheo) is used instead of red bean curd which is typically a Cantonese style. The Nyonya chap chye is quite similar to the Hokkien which has dried shrimps, fresh prawns and pork belly added to it. Whatever dialect group, the main ingredient of this dish is cabbage which should not be left out.
 This recipe which I am sharing is typically a Cantonese Zhai which we normally cook during Chinese New Year. We will prepare a big pot the day before and serve to relatives and friends who come and bai nian on the first day of Chinese New Year  instead of having tidbits.

Chap Chye

  • 450-500 gm Cabbage
  • 3 TBsp Oil
  • 3 cloves Chopped Garlic
  • 3 cubes Fermented Red Bean Curd
  • 2 tsp Red Wine from the Fermented Red Bean Curd
  • 20 gm Black Cloud Fungus
  • 10 gm Black Wooden Ear Fungus
  • 6-8 Dried Chinese Shitake Mushroom (medium size)
  • 40 gm Gingko Nut
  • 50 gm Tang Hoon
  • 30 gm Golden Needle
  • 1 TBsp Oyster Sauce
  • 250 ml Chicken Stock
  • 250 ml Water
  • 100 gm Mock Goose (Vegetarian Crispy Soya Bean Sheet)

PREPARATION FOR CHAP CHYE (30 Min)

  1. Wash the cabbage and cut into chunks.

  2. Wash the mushroom and soak in hot water for 15 mins until it is soft. Wash, squeeze dry the mushroom and cut into half.
  3. Soak the black cloud fungus, black Wooden Ear Fungus, tang hoon and golden needle in separate bowls of tap water for about 15 mins or until the fungus doubles in the size. 

  4. Tear off the hard part of the wooden ear fungus and discard. Then cut rest of the wooden ear fungus into chunks.

  5. Wash the golden needle, pluck off the hard end and tie a knot.

  6. Remove the skin of the garlic and chop coarsely.

  7. Cut the mock goose into 2cm squares.

  8. Take out 3 square pieces of red fermented bean curd including some of the red wine in the jar. Use the back of the spoon to mash it up.

COOKING METHOD ( 1 hr )

  1. In a wok, add 100 ml oil and turn heat to medium. When the oil starts to bubble, deep fry the mock goose, a few pieces at a time. Once it’s golden brown, remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.  Repeat the process until all the mock goose pieces are done. Once cool, place them in an air-tight container for later use.

  2. Pour out the oil from wok leaving behind 3 TBsp of oil. Turn the heat up to high.

  3. Add in fermented red bean curd and garlic and fry for a few seconds until aromatic.

  4. Add in the cabbage and stir fry, then add in 1 TBsp of oyster sauce and mix well.

  5. Add the mushrooms, black fungus, wooden ear fungus and gingko nut. Stir until well mixed.

  6. Pour in 250 ml chicken stock and 250 ml of water to it and mix well. Cover the wok and continue to cook for about 40 mins over medium low heat.

  7.  Lastly, add in the golden needle and tang hoon and continue to cook for another 10 mins.

  8. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with crispy mock goose before serving.

  1. When buying round cabbage, I recommend using the flattish looking cabbage over the round-as-a-ball round cabbage when cooking chap chye as the round ones are much softer and will turn limp before they can absorb the gravy. 
  2. When frying the mock goose, turn the heat down to medium low as it gets burnt easily. Do not add the mock goose to the cooked chap chye until you are ready to serve otherwise it will not be crispy.
  3. It is better to cook this dish the day before. This allows the vegetables to soak in and absorb the gravy, making it more tasty.
  4. You can braise the chap chye for a longer time if you prefer it softer. For the Cantonese, the texture is almost like melting in your mouth. If you prefer a more crunchy texture, 35 mins of cooking time should be good.
  5. The Tang Hoon is added last as it turns soft very easily. It also absorbs lots of gravy, making it too soggy while making the chap chye too dry.
  6. Do not cook the golden needle for too long otherwise it will lose its crunchiness.

SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS FOR SPECIAL DIETS

  • Child-Friendly: No modifications needed.
  • Egg-Free: No modifications needed.
  • Fish-Free: No modifications needed.
  • Nut-Free: No modifications needed.
  • Shellfish-Free: No modifications needed.
  • Vegan: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock; replace oyster sauce with mushroom sauce.
  • Vegetarian: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock; replace oyster sauce with mushroom sauce.

DID YOU LIKE THIS BRAISED MIXED VEGETABLES (CHAP CHYE) RECIPE? IF SO, LEAVE US A COMMENT BELOW TO TELL US WHAT YOU LIKED!

The post Chap Chye Recipe (Braised Mixed Vegetables) appeared first on THE BURNING KITCHEN.



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Chap Chye Recipe (Braised Mixed Vegetables)

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