Garum Pri Pad Nam Pla (Stir-fried Cabbage with Fish Sauce) is one of the essential vegetable dishes in Thai cuisine.
It can be enjoyed as a side dish to rich curries or as a lighter lunch together with jasmine rice. The ingredients
are simple, and it takes about 10 minutes to cook in a high-temperature frying pan, making it an easy and quick
dish. This is an example where Thai cuisine shows influences from Chinese cooking.First, stir-fry small pieces of cabbage in hot oil with minced garlic. Continuous stirring and frying ensure that the
garlic does not burn and that the oil coats the cabbage leaves evenly. Adding a small amount of water to the edge of
the frying pan creates a steaming effect, making the cabbage tender while retaining its crispiness. Similarly,
adding fish sauce to the edge adds saltiness and umami. Finally, sprinkling white pepper balances the sweetness and
bitterness of the garlic and cabbage, resulting in a refreshing dish.
Ingredients (For 4 servings)
Ingredients
Ingredients
Amount
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon (15ml)
Garlic
5 cloves (20g) (crushed and roughly chopped)
Cabbage
1/2 small head (core removed, leaves separated and cut into 2-inch pieces) approximately 200g
Garlic is coarsely chopped because it tends to burn easily when sliced or finely minced.
Instructions
Add oil to a wok or iron frying pan and heat over high heat until it starts to smoke. Remove the wok from the
heat, add the garlic, and stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden,
making sure it doesn’t burn.
Return the wok to high heat, add the cabbage, and stir to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn and the cabbage is
evenly coated with oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the cabbage wilts.
Add the fish sauce from both sides of the wok and stir for about 30 seconds until the cabbage absorbs the fish
sauce. Season with white pepper, transfer to a plate, and serve with jasmine rice.
