Kai Shui Bai Cai (Clear Water Cabbage)
Seemingly simple yet profoundly refined. The crystal-clear broth embodies the essence of premium ingredients, with sweet tender cabbage—a Sichuan masterpiece that uses form to convey spirit.
Ingredients
11 items- Chinese cabbage heart 1 piece (about 300g)
- Old hen half (about 750g)
- Pork leg bone 300g
- Jinhua ham 30g
- Dried scallops 15g
- Chicken breast 100g
- Egg white 1
- Spring onion 2 segments
- Ginger 4 slices
- Salt to taste
- White pepper a pinch
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Blanch the hen, pork bone, ham and scallops separately, then rinse. Place in a pot with spring onion, ginger, wine and 3L water. Boil over high heat, skim foam, then simmer on low for 3-4h until broth is milky. Strain to get base broth.
Mince chicken breast to a paste, mix with water and egg white. Heat base broth to a gentle simmer (80°C). Add chicken paste in batches, stirring gently. When paste floats, strain. Repeat 2-3 times until broth is crystal clear.
Cut a deep cross at the root of the cabbage heart. Blanch in boiling salted water with a little oil for about 2 minutes until tender and translucent. Shock in ice water and gently squeeze dry.
Place cabbage in a deep bowl, pour in clarified broth to submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and steam over high heat for 15 minutes to let cabbage absorb the broth.
Carefully pour the broth from the bowl into a small pot. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring to a boil; taste should be light and savory, broth clear.
Pour the seasoned broth back over the cabbage. Garnish with soaked goji berries (optional) and serve. The cabbage is tender and juicy, broth rich yet looks like plain water.
Tips
Keep the broth at a bare simmer during clarification; add chicken paste in batches and stir gently to absorb impurities. Blanch cabbage and shock in ice water to retain crispness. Cover with plastic wrap when steaming to prevent condensation from diluting the broth.
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