Steps

1. Remove the core from the spring cabbage and roughly chop it. Lightly rinse with water.
   🕒 02:42
2. Mince 10g garlic and 10g ginger. [Chef's Tip!] Crushing garlic before chopping makes it easier to peel. Use 1 large clove for domestic garlic, or 2 small cloves for imported garlic.
   🕒 03:47
3. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a frying pan, add 180g ground mixed meat, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
   🕒 06:13
4. Spread the meat flat and sear it well over medium-high heat without moving it much. [Chef's Tip!] Thoroughly searing the meat transfers its savoriness and aroma to the Mapo sauce, making it significantly more delicious. This is a key point that sets it apart from homemade Mapo.
   🕒 06:36
5. Once seared, break up the meat and add the minced garlic and ginger, then stir-fry until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
   🕒 09:44
6. Add 2 tsp Doubanjiang and stir-fry until fragrant.
   🕒 10:13
7. Add 1/2 tbsp miso and stir-fry until fragrant and well combined.
   🕒 10:25
8. Add 1/2 tsp sugar and stir-fry to bring out its sweetness and richness.
   🕒 10:53
9. Add the rinsed 300g spring cabbage and stir-fry until tender. [Chef's Tip!] If using cabbage other than spring cabbage, stir-fry a little longer until tender.
   🕒 11:00
10. Add 9 shakes MSG(Ajinomoto) (MSG) and stir-fry to combine.
    🕒 11:50
11. Add 150cc water and 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, then mix well.
    🕒 12:27
12. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes to soften the cabbage.
    🕒 12:56
13. While simmering, mix 1/2 tbsp potato starch and 1 tbsp sake in a bowl to make a sake-starch slurry instead of a water-starch slurry. [Chef's Tip!] Dissolving potato starch in sake enhances the flavor and allows you to thicken the sauce without diluting it with water.
    🕒 13:07
14. Remove the lid from the pan, add the prepared sake-starch slurry, and heat while mixing well until the sauce thickens.
    🕒 13:30
15. Season with black pepper to taste, if desired, and mix well.
    🕒 13:56
16. Serve in a dish, drizzle with chili oil to taste, and sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorns to taste, then it's ready.
    🕒 14:05