Korean Stir-Fried Dried Napa Cabbage Leaves

Quick answer

Total time: 75 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Dried outer leaves of napa cabbage, known as ugeoji, are rehydrated, boiled, and stir-fried with doenjang and ground perilla seeds to create a deeply savory banchan.

These tough outer leaves, too coarse to eat fresh, develop a satisfying chewy texture once dried and reconstituted, offering a bite that ordinary cabbage cannot match. Doenjang introduces its fermented umami during the stir-fry, layering complexity onto the cabbage's otherwise neutral flavor. Ground perilla seeds dissolve into the residual moisture, forming a creamy, pale coating that enriches every strand with a nutty warmth. A small amount of anchovy and kelp stock added mid-cook creates just enough liquid for the seasonings to soak into the fibrous leaves before evaporating. Perilla oil used as the cooking fat establishes a fragrant base from the first moment the pan heats, and minced garlic stirred in partway through adds a sharp accent that cuts through the richness. The finished dish pairs naturally with a bowl of steamed rice and a hot soup.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
dried napa cabbage leaves (rehydrated)	300	g
doenjang	1.5	tbsp
perilla seed powder	2	tbsp
perilla oil	1	tbsp
minced garlic	1	tbsp
anchovy-kelp stock	100	ml
green onion	20	g

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Soak 300 g rehydrated dried napa cabbage leaves in lukewarm water, about 40 degrees C, for 1 hour.

Boil them for 5 minutes, until the thick stems soften enough to press easily with your fingers.
2

Heat

Rinse the boiled leaves briefly in cool water to stop the heat, then squeeze firmly with both hands.

Remove excess water well, but do not crush the leaves, and cut them into 5 to 6 cm pieces.
3

Control

Add 1 tablespoon perilla oil to a pan and warm it over medium heat.

Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic for about 20 seconds, just until fragrant, keeping it moving so it does not brown or turn bitter.
4

Control

Add the cabbage leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, coating them evenly with the perilla oil.

When the leaves look glossy and the moisture on the pan bottom has reduced, move on to the seasoning.
5

Control

Stir in 1.5 tablespoons doenjang with 100 ml anchovy-kelp stock, loosening the paste into the liquid.

Simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a little more stock if it tastes too salty.
6

Control

When most of the liquid has reduced, lower the heat.

Add 2 tablespoons perilla seed powder and 20 g sliced green onion, then stir-fry for 2 minutes until the coating turns creamy but still moist.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Savory ugeoji (dried napa cabbage) develops a satisfyingly chewy texture when stir-fried with doenjang.
Finish cue: When most of the liquid has reduced, lower the heat.
Avoid this: Remove excess water well, but do not crush the leaves, and cut them into 5 to 6 cm pieces.