Cap cai facts for kids
Cap cai
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| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Nationwide in Indonesia, also popular in Southeast Asia |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Stir-fried vegetables |
| Variations | Cap cai kuah (soupy) and Cap cai goreng (dry) |
Cap cai, sometimes spelled cap cay, is a super yummy stir-fried vegetable dish. It comes from Indonesia and is very popular there. People also love it in other parts of Southeast Asia. It's a bit like a mixed vegetable stir-fry that's full of flavor!
What is Cap Cai?
The name "Cap cai" means "mixed vegetables." It comes from a language called Hokkien. This dish started in Fujian, China. But it became a very popular dish in Chinese Indonesian and Peranakan cooking. It's known for being healthy and delicious.
What's in Cap Cai?
Cap cai is packed with lots of different vegetables. Common ones include cauliflower, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and carrot. You might also find baby corn, mushrooms, and leeks.
To give it flavor, chefs add chopped garlic and onion. They also use salt, sugar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. A little bit of water is added, and the sauce is made thicker with corn starch.
How is Cap Cai Made?
Making cap cai is quite fast! First, the vegetables are chopped into bite-sized pieces. Then, they are quickly cooked in a large pan called a wok. This cooking method is called stir-frying. Only a small amount of cooking oil is used. The ingredients are tossed and stirred over high heat. This helps the vegetables stay a bit crunchy.
Different Kinds of Cap Cai
Cap cai can be made in different ways. It can be a vegetarian dish, with only vegetables. Or, it can have meats added to it. Some common additions are chicken, shrimp, or cuttlefish. You might also find slices of beef or fish bakso (meatballs).
The kinds of vegetables used can change. It depends on what's available and what the cook likes. But usually, you'll see cauliflower, cabbage, and carrots in most simple cap cai dishes. There are two main styles:
- Cap cai kuah: This version has more sauce and is a bit soupy.
- Cap cai goreng: This version is drier, like a typical stir-fry.
