Napa Cabbage Pockets with Tofu
Stuffed with a medley of shiitake mushrooms, Chinese chives, and dried mung beans, these cabbage pockets are symbols of good fortune.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coix seeds (about 1 1/3 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon dried mung beans (about 1/2 ounce)
- 1 large (3-pound) head napa cabbage
- 20 stems fresh chinese chives (jiu cai)
- 8 ounces firm tofu (from 1 [14-ounce] package)
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh shiitake mushroom caps (from about 1 1/4 cups whole mushrooms)
- 1/2 cup matchstick-cut (2- x 1/4- x 1/4-inch sticks) zucchini (from 1 small zucchini)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon goji berries
Directions
- Rinse coix seeds and mung beans together in a fine wire-mesh strainer; drain and transfer to a small saucepan. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Boil, stirring once or twice during cooking, until softened, about 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Separate cabbage leaves by picking through leaves and removing 10 of the largest unbroken leaves from core; set aside. Discard remaining leaves, or reserve for another use. Using a knife, remove and discard bottom 2 inches of each leaf (closest to the root end).
- Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Fill a large pot with water, and bring to a boil over high. Gently lower trimmed cabbage leaves and Chinese chives into boiling water; cook until softened, pliable, and bright green but not falling apart, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer leaves and chives to ice water. Let stand until cool, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer from ice water to paper towels to drain.
- Place tofu on a paper towel�lined plate or baking sheet. Place more paper towels on top of tofu, and press with hands to remove some excess liquid from tofu. Crumble tofu into small pieces into a large bowl. Add cooked coix seeds and mung beans, mushrooms, zucchini, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, sesame seeds, and sesame oil; stir to combine.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add tofu mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to brown and excess water has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and goji berries.
- Lay 1 drained cabbage leaf flat on a clean work surface. Place 3 tablespoons tofu filling in a mounded oval running crosswise across center of leaf. Tuck sides of leaf in and over filling; starting at bottom of leaf, roll up burrito-style. Place rolled cabbage leaf seam side down. Using 2 blanched Chinese chive stems, tie rolled cabbage pocket both lengthwise and crosswise, with the knots on the top of the cabbage pocket, as if you are tying a ribbon. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves, tofu filling, and Chinese chive stems.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add half of the tied cabbage pockets to skillet; cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time. If needed, add a splash of water to the skillet to prevent burning or sticking. Remove cooked cabbage pockets from skillet; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Repeat cooking process with remaining cabbage pockets. Serve warm.