On a Roll | Cabbage Roll in Hoisin and Fish Sauce

I am struggling to write a new post.  

Well, my first class at Whole Foods last week was monumental.  I had been busy with the preparation for this class for the past four months.  And when I was finally teaching to a room full of food enthusiasts, the whole scenario felt surreal.  Yes, I am happy to report that my first class was indeed a blast!

I wanted to tell you right away immediately after the class.  But I guess I was too excited, as I suffered from writer's block.  I stare at my screen and I struggle to find the right words.  And so it has been like this for almost a week.

However, this morning I found a message from an old friend, Olive.  She mentioned she started reading my blog.  She expressed how she was inspired by it.  As if bitten by a bug, she has been promoting my blog and FB page non-stop for the last 24 hours.

Ferdie, a relative and a schoolmate from high school, was surprised to learn that I write this blog.  We had a short chat this morning and he was excited to read my posts and shared his appreciation online.  He loves to cook and is all the more inspired because of my blog.

I sit down here and I realize that their words of appreciation inspire me.  Their kind words, along with the others who comment and share their compliments, inspire me to continue writing.   Yes they may be unaware but it is because of friends like them and their kind words that fuel me to move on.  You, my readers, are the reason why I sit here and continue to write.  I am all of a sudden so inspired!

I. Must. Post. Something.

So here I am again on a roll... well literally and figuratively... as I share with you...

Cabbage Rolls with Hoisin and Fish Sauce


Ingredients:

12 cabbage leaves

For the Filling:

l1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef

l1//2 lb shrimp, chopped

l2 tbsp oyster sauce

l1 fresh egg

l1/2 c water chestnut, chopped

l2 medium carrots, chopped

lgreen onions thinly sliced

l2 tsp sesame oil

l1 clove garlic, chopped

lsalt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Drop the cabbage rolls in a pot of boiling water seasoned with salt (addendum as I just got a tip from my friend Cherrylyn to add a tsp of baking soda in the pot of water too.  This will make your cabbage look nice and green) Cook until the leaves are pliable.  This usually takes 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients of the filling together.  Divide the filling into 12 portions.  Place the filling on each cabbage leaves and roll.  Fasten the roll with a toothpick.  Poach the rolls on the same pot of boiling water.

l 

For the Sauce:

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon water

1 lime - add the lime juice

1 clove garlic - minced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and 

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar, chili sauce, hoisin sauce and chopped peanuts together.  

Serve the rolls with the sauce on the side.

I served this dish recently and I added corn and mushrooms