Low-Fat Three Fresh Vegetable Stir-Fry

 Low-Fat Three Fresh Vegetable Stir-Fry (Su San Xian) is a classic light, healthy Chinese home-style vegetarian dish. 

It uses three kinds of fresh seasonal vegetables as the main ingredients, with no heavy oil or strong seasonings, retaining the original fresh and sweet taste of vegetables.

 It is high in fiber, low in fat, nutritious and refreshing, very suitable for light meals and weight-management diets.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

100g fresh shiitake mushrooms

80g cucumber

80g carrot

Aromatics

2 garlic cloves (minced)

A small amount of chopped scallions

Seasonings

1 tsp light soy sauce

A pinch of salt

Half tsp white sugar (to enhance freshness)

A little white pepper powder

1 tsp cooking oil (very low amount)

A few drops of sesame oil (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients

   Wash shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems, and slice them evenly.

   Peel the carrot, cut into thin slices or thin strips.

   Wash the cucumber, remove the ends, and slice into thin pieces.

   Chop garlic and scallions, set aside.
2. Quick blanch (optional, for lower fat)

   Boil a small pot of clean water.

   Put carrot slices and shiitake mushroom slices into boiling water, blanch for 30 seconds, then remove and drain.

   This step reduces the amount of oil needed for stir-frying and keeps the dish lighter.
3. Stir-fry the base fragrance

   Heat a non-stick pan over low heat, add only 1 teaspoon of cooking oil.

   Add minced garlic and scallion whites, stir-fry gently for 10 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir-fry the three fresh vegetables

   First add blanched shiitake mushrooms and carrots, stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute.

   Then add cucumber slices, stir-fry quickly for 30–40 seconds.

   Do not stir-fry too long, to keep the cucumber crisp and tender.
5. Season lightly

   Add light soy sauce, a small pinch of salt, and half teaspoon of sugar.

   Add a little white pepper powder, stir all ingredients evenly.

   Keep the seasoning light, to highlight the natural sweetness of vegetables.
6. Finish and serve

   Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil if you want a richer aroma (can be omitted for lower fat).

   Stir once gently, then turn off the heat immediately.

   Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Cooking Tips

1. This is a super low-fat dish: use less oil, high-heat quick stir-fry, no heavy sauces.
2. Cucumber goes in last to keep its crisp texture and avoid turning soft.
3. Sugar is only for enhancing freshness, use a tiny amount and will not make the dish sweet.
4. You can adjust the three vegetables according to preference, such as replacing with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, or green peppers.
5. For an even lighter version, you can blanch all ingredients and toss with sauce, without stir-frying.

Tomato & Cabbage Dough Drop Soup

 Tomato and Cabbage Dough Drop Soup is a classic, warm home-style Chinese soup dish.

 It features soft, chewy flour dough drops, tender cabbage, and sweet-sour tomato broth, light, comforting, easy to digest, and perfect for breakfast, light meals, or late-night supper.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 ripe tomato
• 2–3 small leaves of Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage)
• 100g all-purpose flour
• 1 small egg (optional)

Aromatics

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 small section of green onion (chopped)
• A thin slice of ginger (minced)

Seasonings

• Cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of white pepper
• A little light soy sauce (optional)
• Sesame oil (a few drops)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients
   • Wash the tomato, cut a cross on the skin, blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds, peel off the skin, then dice into small pieces.
   • Wash Chinese cabbage, tear or cut into small strips.
   • Chop green onion, mince garlic and ginger, set aside.
2. Make soft dough drops
   • Put flour in a bowl. Add a small pinch of salt.
   • Slowly pour in a little warm water, stirring constantly with chopsticks, to form small, irregular, moist dough flakes (dough drops).
   • Do not make the dough too wet or sticky; keep it loose and flaky.
3. Sauté the tomato base
   • Heat a little cooking oil in a pot over medium heat.
   • Add minced ginger, garlic and white parts of green onion, stir-fry until fragrant.
   • Add tomato dices, stir-fry until soft and juicy, pressing gently to release more tomato soup.
4. Cook the soup base
   • Pour in enough hot water, bring to a rolling boil.
   • Add Chinese cabbage strips, cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly soft.
5. Add dough drops
   • Turn the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the dough drops evenly into the boiling soup, stirring gently at the same time to prevent clumping.
   • Let it simmer for 3–4 minutes until all dough drops float and are fully cooked.
6. Add egg (optional)
   • Beat the egg in a bowl. Slowly drizzle the egg liquid into the soup in a thin stream, stirring gently to form thin egg ribbons.
7. Season and finish
   • Add salt and a pinch of white pepper to taste. Add a tiny bit of light soy sauce if you prefer deeper flavor.
   • Simmer for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat.
   • Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil, sprinkle with remaining green onion.
8. Serve
   • Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Cooking Tips

1. Dough drops should be small and uneven for a softer, chewier texture.
2. Stir gently when adding dough to avoid them sticking together.
3. Cooking tomatoes fully until juicy is the key to a rich, sweet-sour soup.
4. Keep the soup light; do not over-season to preserve the fresh vegetable flavor.
5. This soup is gentle on the stomach, suitable for all ages.