My mom never fails to prepare her Chap Chai dish for us during Chinese New Year. It’s a winning combination of ingredients certainly makes it a great start for the New Year.

And Let me tell you, we’re always looking forward to this delicious Chap Chai dish and I think you’re lucky to have this recipe.

There are many versions of Chap Chai. Some are stir fried, and some are braised. While we prefer the braised version because the delicious and mouthwatering sauce that comes with it. You can’t have this dish without craving for more rice.

This dish normally serves during Chinese New Year or on the 1st or 15th monthly of the Chinese calendar. Because for some Chinese, on 1st or 15th they will go for the vegetarian menu.

For us, this dish is delicious for any occasion. We like to add dried oysters in this dish, but if you’re a vegetarian, maybe you can omit this. The dried oysters will enhance the whole dish and bring it to another level.

The fundamental taste of this dish comes from the fermented tofu and is one ingredient that must have in this dish.

so, let’s start cooking!

Hope you’ll enjoy them.

CHAP CHAI RECIPE | CHAP CHAI | STIR FRY MIXED VEGETABLES |南乳焖斋菜

Serves: 4 Person

Ingredients :

50g glass noodles (aka ‘tang hoon’ or 粉絲)

400g Napa cabbage (aka “Wong Bok” or 大白菜), cut to 3cm length pieces

50g pieces dried black (cloud ear) fungus (云耳)

50g dried lily buds (金针)

12 pcs dried oyster (* omit this if you’re a vegetarian)

1.50 cup water to soak dried oyster

10g of dried moss/fat choy (Fa Cai/发菜)

250g Dou Bao （生豆包），alternatively you can use bean curd sticks (腐竹)

20g ginger, crush

Deep frying oil

2 tbsp cooking oil

1/8 tsp salt

500ml water

*Add another 200ml water, if the sauce is to dry.

Marinate mushroom:

12 dried Chinese mushrooms, soak 1 hour, remove stems and squeeze excess water

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp oil

Red fermented bean curd mixture:

5 pcs red fermented bean curd (aka ‘nam yee or 豆腐乳)

1 tsp red fermented bean curd liquid from the bottle

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

Method:

  1. Soak dried lily buds for 30 mins.After 30 mins, drain all the water. Cut slightly the end part. And tie each bud in a knot (to prevent fraying).
  2. Soak dried mushroom for one hour with hot water.Remove mushrooms stem, squeeze out excess water. Marinate mushroom with 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp oil.
  3. Soak black fungus in water for about 30 mins. When softened, drain well.Remove the hard portion on the underside of the fungus. If it’s too big, cut into half.
  4. Soak dried oyster with 1.50 cup hot water for 1 hour. Keep the water. Do not drain it.
  5. Soak glass noodle and fat choy for 15 to 30 mins.
  6. Slice 2-3cm length of Napa cabbage.
  7. In a bowl, mashed 5 red fermented bean curd. And add 1 tsp red fermented bean curd liquid from the bottle, 1 tbsp water, and 1 tbsp sugar. Set aside.
  8. Crush ginger with a cleaver.
  9. Heat up the wok and add deep frying oil. Medium heat.
  10. Add Dou Bao. Deep fried until golden brown. Takes about 3 mins.
  11. Omit the deep fried oil. Add 2 tbsp cooking oil in the wok.
  12. Heat up again the same wok, add ginger. Cook for a few seconds.
  13. Add red fermented bean curd mixture, reduce to low heat. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  14. Add mushroom and cloud ear fungus. Increase to medium heat.
  15. Add soak oyster with water. Let the water comes to a boil.
  16. Add 500ml water and braise for 10 mins. Cover the wok.
  17. Add napa cabbage, lily buds and Dou Bao. Give a quick stir. Cover wok for 5 mins.
  18. Add 1/8 tsp salt or to taste.
  19. Add Fat Choy and glass noodles.
  20. Add about 200ml water if the sauce is to dry. Cook for another 1-2 min.
  21. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Enjoy!