As a part of American culture and upbringing, holidays from the United States are deeply ingrained in almost all Americans.<\/span>\u00a0It was a difficult adjustment for my parents, who were immigrants from Taiwan.<\/span>\u00a0They were especially receptive to holidays that revolved around food.<\/span>\u00a0My mom would always make a home-cooked meal, but it was usually a mix of American and Chinese dishes or Chinese-adapted dishes. She used whatever ingredients were available at the local grocery store.<\/span><\/p>\n My parents immigrated to the United States in 1960s from Taiwan.<\/span>\u00a0My mom managed to escape her small, conservative Asian town by graduating high school and attending the top university in Taiwan. She then went on to attend grad school in New York State.<\/span>\u00a0My father met her here.<\/span>\u00a0Both of them had to make a major change. They moved from a small island in the tropical South to the East Coast of the United States.<\/span>\u00a0My father was a career academic and they moved around to several college towns before landing in St. Louis, Missouri. This is a mid-sized metropolitan area located at the intersection between the Midwest, South.<\/span><\/p>\n Our Thanksgiving table consisted of the same food that every Midwest family had back in 1980s.<\/span>\u00a0The traditional Thanksgiving turkey was served, usually from a local grocery store. My parents fed three hungry children on a college professor’s salary. However, there were times when we indulged in a Butterball.<\/span>\u00a0My mom would mix the potato flakes in the boiling water and cook the mashed potatoes until it was thick enough for us to eat.<\/span>\u00a0I learned how to make mashed potatoes with real potatoes in college.<\/span>\u00a0Stove Top stuffing is a Midwest classic that makes me feel nostalgic.<\/span>\u00a0Jellied Cranberry Sauce was a must-have for Thanksgiving. We used the canned sauce and sliced it in a dish to see the ridges.<\/span>\u00a0My mom was the only one who ate the dish.<\/span><\/p>\n My white friends wouldn’t know that there were Chinese dishes scattered throughout the table.<\/span>\u00a0White Corningware casseroles always contained sticky glutinous rice, which had been stir-fried along with strips of carrots or bamboo shoots.<\/span>\u00a0The meal began with a large bowl of corn and eggdrop soup.<\/span>\u00a0Then came the napa cabbage and dried shrimp, which sparkled in the evening sunlight.<\/span><\/p>\n St. Louis wasn’t the place to find many Asian produce at the time.<\/span>\u00a0To find Asian grocery stores and Chinese food, you had to travel to a specific area of town. Even then, the selection was not the best.<\/span>\u00a0My mom, a naturalized person, bought the closest thing they could find to what was available in her native country.<\/span>\u00a0It was always a matter of finding, replacing, and adapting.<\/span>\u00a0They made it work.<\/span>\u00a0Hamilton sang, “Immigrants.<\/span>\u00a0They do the job.<\/span><\/p>\n Napa cabbage was not something that needed to be replaced often.<\/span>\u00a0Even in 1980s supermarket chains, it was easy to find.<\/span>\u00a0It could be easily substituted with regular green cabbage if it wasn’t available to my mom.<\/span>\u00a0Growing up, she kept a huge amount of it in her fridge.<\/span><\/p>\n Even though I don’t make napa with shrimp very often, I find that it brings back memories of my childhood.<\/span>\u00a0When I dry the shrimp, the salty smell of the ocean wafts up in my nostrils and makes me think about my mom.<\/span>\u00a0It makes me wonder if it reminds my mom of her childhood on a tropical island halfway across the globe.<\/span>\u00a0The act of cutting a huge head of napa cabbage reminds me how I used to think my mom was a wizard at the stove. She managed to fit all the vegetables into the wok and marveled at how the size shrinks.<\/span>\u00a0Her method of thickening the sauce for cabbage was to make the cornstarch-slurry in cold water.<\/span>\u00a0Finally, she added salt to the dish with a tiny ceramic spoon that she purchased on a European trip.<\/span>\u00a0My mom always whispers to me when I salt my food. She says that a little salt will go a long way but that if it tastes dry, add more.<\/span><\/p>\n Although stir-fried napa cabbage is not the first thing people think of when they think about American Thanksgiving, it’s an important addition.<\/span>\u00a0My Thanksgiving is now a combination of a brined turkey, homemade stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, and homemade stuffing. But my mom still inspires me to add more vegetables to the table.<\/span>\u00a0Each year, I experiment with new vegetables, such as slow-braised rosemary carrots or roasted Brussels sprouts.<\/span>\u00a0The napa cabbage is one thing that you will always find.<\/span><\/p>\n Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese cabbage, has mild flavor and is often used to make Asian dumpling fillings.<\/span>\u00a0This cabbage is large and oblong, sometimes as big as a football.<\/span>\u00a0It is not a large cabbage, but it can be steamed and shrinks significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n Dried shrimp is just what it sounds like. It’s small shrimp that have been dried.<\/span>\u00a0This Chinese dish has a salty umami kick thanks to dried shrimp.<\/span>\u00a0Asian grocery stores sell dried shrimp in frozen and refrigerated sections.<\/span>\u00a0You should look for small-sized dried shrimp that are about 1\/4 inch in size.<\/span>\u00a0For medium- or large-sized dried shrimp, you will need to hydrate them with more water (1 cup for medium-sized shrimps, 1 1\/4 cups for large shrimps) for 45 to 60 minutes. After that, coarsely chop the shrimp into 1\/4-inch pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n This dish tastes best when it’s fresh from the oven.<\/span>\u00a0However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, reheat the dish on the stovetop or in the microwave.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n PREP TIME: 10 minutes<\/span><\/p>\n MISCELLANEOUS TIME: 30 minutes<\/span><\/p>\n TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes<\/span><\/p>\n SERVINGS: 4-6 servings<\/span><\/p>\n This Chinese dish is enhanced with dried shrimp.<\/span>\u00a0It can be found in Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated or frozen section.<\/span>\u00a0You will want small-sized dried shrimp that are about 1\/4 inch in size.<\/span>\u00a0For medium- or large-sized dried shrimp, heat the shrimp in more water (1 cup for medium-sized shrimp; 1 1\/4 cups for large); then, after it has hydrated for 45 to 60 minutes, cut into 1\/4-inch pieces.<\/span>\u00a0You can make this vegetarian by omitting the dried shrimp. Instead, use four to five dried shiitake mushrooms.<\/span><\/p>\n The dried shrimp should be placed in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the shrimp.<\/span>\u00a0Cover the shrimp with a plate and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.<\/span>\u00a0The shrimp will appear lighter and slightly plump.<\/span><\/p>\n Split the napa cabbage in half.<\/span>\u00a0Rinse the cabbage, and dry it.<\/span>\u00a0Remove the core from the cabbage and throw it away.<\/span><\/p>\n Two large bowls are needed.<\/span>\u00a0Divide the remaining cabbage into 1-inch chunks. Place the thicker white pieces towards the bottom of the cabbage in one bowl, and the thinner leafy green pieces toward the top in the other.<\/span><\/p>\n Drain the shrimp once it has rehydrated and then discard the liquid.<\/span><\/li>\n Place the peanut oil in a large skillet or wok on high heat. Stir it around to coat the pan.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the oil is shimmering hot, heat the mixture and then add the scallions.<\/span>\u00a0Use a spatula to mix the ingredients until they are fragrant and the scallions turn a bright green color. This should take about one minute.<\/span><\/p>\n Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the napa cabbage’s thicker white portion to the pan.<\/span>\u00a0Cook and stir for about 3-4 minutes or until the cabbage pieces begin to turn translucent, but the center remains opaque.<\/span><\/p>\n Turn down the heat and add the chopped leafy green cabbage pieces to the pan.<\/span>\u00a0Cook the leaves for 2 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n Combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, and cold water in a small bowl. Stir to create a slurry.<\/span>\u00a0Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook the cabbage until the sauce thickens slightly to the consistency that whole milk.<\/span><\/li>\n Season the stir-fry with salt and pepper. If necessary, taste it and adjust salt and pepper as needed.<\/span>\u00a0The cabbage should be translucent and silky, with dried shrimp specks all over.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\nWhat is Napa Cabbage?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What is dried shrimp?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Do I have the ability to make this dish ahead?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Irvin Lin’s Napa Cabbage and Dried Shrimp<\/span><\/h2>\n
Ingredients<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n
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Method<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n
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