This dish is fast and tasty.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I’ve got another healthy, delicious and quick meal idea in honor of National Nutrition Month. I decided to make this dish after purchasing a huge, gorgeous head of Chinese cabbage from Runner-bean.com. Chinese cabbage is otherwise known as napa cabbage, and it’s available at the grocery store, too.

This may not be a St. Patty’s Day dish, but it’s full of green! I love napa cabbage because it’s so tender and it cooks so quickly. It also reduces a LOT when you cook it – more than green cabbage, it always seems to me. So if you see a recipe call for an entire head, like this one, do not be alarmed.

I will credit my editor and friend Kathy Lu with helping me decide, just before quitting time on a weekday afternoon, what I could do with my cabbage that would be quick enough for that very night. She said she makes this dish all the time (just not low-sodium).

I ran by the grocery store and picked up a small pork tenderloin on my way home. The only other ingredients this requires are low-sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, some garlic, a smidge of oil and a smidge of sugar. Oh, and the rice you wish to serve with the pork and cabbage. But you can feel free to doctor it up in any way you wish.

Here’s how I did it:

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and 1 tsp. sugar (white or brown). Whisk together.

2. Cut the (1-2 lb.) pork tenderloin into long, thin strips. Place in the marinade and stir to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for as long as you can before your stomach starts to growl (I did 30 minutes).

Chinese cabbage

3. Wash and pat dry a large head of napa cabbage. Cut it into long, thin strips. Set aside.

4. Lightly oil a non-stick skillet or wok with either cooking spray or a little olive or vegetable oil. Heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the marinade and add to the skillet. Also add about 2 Tbsp. of the marinade to the skillet, then discard the rest. Cook, stirring, just until the pork is cooked through.

5. Add the cabbage and stir everything together. Cover the pan and cook, stirring, until the cabbage has wilted. Serve hot over rice or, if you are on a low-carbohydrate diet, by itself. It’ll serve about 4.

NOTE: Kathy said she sometimes adds shredded carrot to this recipe, too. You could probably also add some onions if you like, and if you are not concerned so much about the fat, maybe substitute sesame oil or use ground pork.

Any other ideas?