Hakusai to shami no nikomi / napa cabbage stewed with dried shrimp

Heavenly soft hakusai cabbage.

<Ingredients>

1/2 (200 g) inner yellowish part of hakusai napa cabbage
1 1/2-2 tbsp shami dried shrimp
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sake
Salt (not in photo)
1-2 tsp potato starch + 1-2 tbsp water mixture


<Directions>
1.

Soak shami in water for a few hours or microwave for 30-60 seconds, and devein. Save liquid.
Cut hakusai into 4-5 cm pieces.

2.

Bring water to boil, and add hakusai, white sections first.

When soft, add yellow leaf sections.

When leaves are soft, transfer to strainer.
Keep water used for boiling (at least 300 cc).

3.

In a pot, heat coconut oil, and add and saute hakusai on medium heat.

When hakusai is covered with oil, add sake, liquid from rehydrating shami, shami, 200 cc hot water from boiling hakusai, and simmer on medium low to low heat for 20-30 minutes.

When level of liquid goes down, add more water from boiling hakusai (or water if it runs out).
Keep the level of liquid so that it barely covers ingredients.

4.

Add salt to taste.

5.

Remove from heat, add potato starch and water mixture, 1/2 of the specified amount at first, return to heat, and let thicken. Add more potato starch and water mixture if necessary.

6.

Serve hot.

<Notes>

• Yellowish inner part of hakusai is sweeter than outer greener part; the inner part is the best for this dish.
• Water used for boiling hakusai has a mild taste (and nutrients released from hakusai). It’s too good to simply throw away.
• This dish is supposed to be soupy, so do not overuse the potato starch and water mixture. When thickened, it should be much looser than other Chinese dishes.
• Coconut oil is a substitute for lard.