Chinese Ground Beef Cabbage (Print Version)

Ground beef stir-fried with cabbage, shiitake, ginger, and soy for a fast, flavorful Chinese-inspired dish.

# Ingredients:

→ Aromatics

01 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced (approximately 0.8 ounces)
02 - 2 small knobs fresh ginger, grated (approximately 0.5 ounces)

→ Main

03 - 1 pound ground beef
04 - 1 tablespoon avocado oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 4 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced into thin strips (approximately 4 ounces)
06 - 12 ounces green or savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
07 - 1 scallion bulb, diced

→ Seasoning

08 - 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided, or more to taste
09 - 1 teaspoon cumin powder, divided, plus additional for finishing
10 - 1 teaspoon shiitake mushroom bouillon powder or chicken bouillon powder (optional)

→ Sauce & Finishing

11 - 1 tablespoon light soy sauce or coconut aminos
12 - 0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce or coconut aminos
13 - 0.5 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or aged balsamic vinegar
14 - Small splash Chinese Shaoxing wine, Taiwanese Michu, gluten-free mirin, or chicken stock
15 - Drizzle toasted sesame oil
16 - Sprinkle Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru), optional

# Instructions:

01 - Mince garlic and grate ginger, then arrange in a small dish. Slice shiitake mushrooms into thin strips. Quarter the cabbage, remove the core, and thinly slice each quarter into narrow strips less than 1/4 inch wide; cut thick stems even thinner. Gently separate cabbage layers by hand.
02 - Heat a large wok over medium heat until warm. Add avocado oil, then immediately stir in minced garlic and grated ginger; saute for 5 seconds. Add ground beef, raise heat to medium-high, break up meat into small crumbles, and continue cooking until most liquid evaporates but some moisture remains, about 5-6 minutes.
03 - Season beef with 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute.
04 - Add sliced cabbage, stir fry continuously for 2 minutes. Season with remaining salt, remaining cumin powder, mushroom bouillon, and pour in combined sauce ingredients. Stir fry for an additional 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with a small splash of Chinese cooking wine or selected liquid. Stir fry briskly for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
05 - Transfer mixture to a serving platter. Sprinkle a little extra cumin powder and Korean red pepper flakes if desired, then drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Garnish with diced scallion. Serve hot, ideally accompanied by steamed rice.

# Notes:

01 - Slice thick cabbage stems thinner than the leaves to ensure even cooking throughout the stir fry.
02 - For the deepest flavor, deglaze the pan with Chinese cooking wine, but chicken stock or gluten-free mirin are suitable substitutions.
03 - Sprinkling gochugaru is optional but adds a mild, fruity heat and vibrant color.

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