Preserved Cabbage Vermicelli Soup

This is one of the most classic Cha Chan Tang items in any Hong Kong style cafe. It also happens to be my mom’s go-to breakfast to make growing up. I watched her make it countless times so I learned to do the same when I was still a little girl. It’s quick and simple, but so delicious and comforting. The preserved cabbage not only gives off a nice acidic flavor to balance out the savoury pork, but the satisfying crunch it gives creates a lovely texture party in your mouth.

Preserved Cabbage Vermicelli Soup

This classic Cha Chan Tang style breakfast combines tender slices of pork with tangy preserved cabbage in a clear, savory broth. The dish is light yet flavorful, with soft vermicelli noodles soaking up the rich umami taste, perfect for a quick and comforting meal.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 portions of Vermicelli – I prefer the Taiwanese XinZhu 新竹 brand
  • 1 can (~500 mL) Chicken stock – I prefer the Swanson brand
  • 1/2 lb Pork tenderloin, thinly sliced and cut into 1 cm strips
  • 1 can (200g) Snow cabbage 雪菜, drained – I prefer Fish Well or Ma Ling brand
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • Marinade:
    • 2 tsp soy sauce
    • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 1/4 tsp white pepper
    • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 2 tsp Oyster sauce

Directions

  1. Marinate the pork:
    • In a bowl, mix pork slices with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and cornstarch. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Soak Vermicelli:
    • Soak vermicelli in warm water for about 10-15 minute until soft. Drain and set aside.
  3. Saute:
    • In a medium saucepan, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds until lightly golden brown.
    • Add pork and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add Shaoxing wine and oyster sauce. Stir for 30 seconds.
    • Add drained out preserved cabbage and stir-fry for another minute.
    • Turn off heat or adjust to lowest heat setting while you make the noodle soup.
  4. Soup base:
    • Heat 1 can of chicken stock and 3 cups of water in a medium sized pot until boiling.
    • Cook vermicelli in the same pot (or a different pot with just boiling water) for around 1 minute until it reboils. Quickly take out vermicelli into serving bowls to prevent overcooking.
  5. Assemble:
    • Spoon preserved vegetable pork mix on top of noodles.
    • Ladle the chicken stock on top.
  6. Serve hot and enjoy!

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