Napa Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 medium size Little Bear Napa Cabbage (about 12-15 leaves)

1lb lean ground pork

1 large carrot, finely chopped or shredded

3 scallions thinly sliced, whites and green

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 cup cooked rice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

Seesame seeds for garnish

Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon corn starch

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim off the root of the cabbage, gently take off the laves one by one. Blanch the leaves in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the hot water and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Gently pat the leaves dry with paper towels.
2. In a large pan add the sesame oil and turn the heat to medium high. Once hot, add the carrots and sautee for a couple of minutes. Add the white parts of the green onions, minced garlic, and ginger. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add the ground pork and cook until done breaking it up with a spoon. Once the pork is done add the cooked rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and maple syrup. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
4. Trim off the thick root part of each cabbage leaf.  Add about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of the ground pork filling to the bottom center of the leaf, roll up until you get to the wider part of the leaf, then fold up both sided towards the center and continue to roll all the way up. Transfer the roll onto a plate or baking sheet placing it seam side down. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients. If you think the leaves are too small you can always overlap two leaves to make one big one.
5. In a large skillet add a tablespoon of sesame oil and turn the heat to medium high. Once hot, gently place the cabbage rolls seam side down and leave undisturbed for 1-2 minutes. Work in batches.
6. In a small bowl mix all the sauce ingredients, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, chili flakes, maple syrup and corn starch. Pour the sauce over the rolls and cook just for one minute. Transfer the rolls to a serving platter, pour the sauce over the rolls or serve on a side. Garnish with the green part of the onions and sesame seeds if desire.

Recipe by Marisol Chancellor at @marisolcooks on Instagram & https://marisolcooks.com/