Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad with Sesame Recipe
A light, crunchy salad made with Napa cabbage is a common side dish in Chinese homes and small eateries. It’s quick, fresh, and perfectly balances richer, oilier stir-fry dishes. It’s a bit like our classic slaws, but with a distinct sesame and ginger note.
This salad combines the familiarity of a simple cabbage slaw with classic Chinese flavors: sesame, soy sauce, and ginger. It’s quick to prepare, uses basic ingredients, and instantly brightens up heavier stir-fry or rice dishes with freshness and crunch.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip the step of lightly massaging the cabbage with the dressing – it helps it absorb flavor and softens the thicker white parts. Toast the sesame seeds just before using if possible; warm, freshly toasted seeds give a much deeper aroma. Adjust the amount of ginger to your taste: more for a sharper, warming kick, less for a milder salad.
How to serve
Serve in small bowls alongside stir-fries, fried rice, or noodle dishes. It also works well as a crunchy topping for rice bowls or as a fresh side to grilled meats or tofu. For a light lunch, you can add cooked shredded chicken or baked tofu to turn it into a more filling salad.
Ingredients
- Napa cabbage half a medium head - 400 g
- carrot - 1 piece
- fresh cucumber long, greenhouse - 0.5 piece
- spring onion - 2 piece
- toasted sesame seeds white or a mix of white and black - 2 tablespoon
- light soy sauce - 1.5 tablespoon
- vinegar can be replaced with apple cider vinegar - 1.5 tablespoon
- sesame oil adds its characteristic flavor - 1 tablespoon
- neutral oil neutral, e.g. rapeseed - 1 tablespoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- fresh ginger piece about 1.5 cm - 5 g
- salt a pinch to taste
Preparation
- Slice the Napa cabbage into thin strips, cutting the firmer white part into slightly thinner pieces so it softens faster.
- Peel the carrot and grate it on a coarse grater or cut into very thin matchsticks. Slice the cucumber into thin half-moons. Finely chop the spring onion.
- Grate the ginger on a fine grater. If you don’t like ginger pieces, you can squeeze out the juice through a teaspoon.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, neutral oil, sugar, grated ginger, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and spring onion. Pour in the dressing and mix thoroughly with your hands or spoons, gently massaging the cabbage so it softens.
- Sprinkle the salad with toasted sesame seeds and give it a quick final toss. Set aside for 5–10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Serve as a side to stir-fries, rice dishes, or as a light snack.
Storage
Sałatka jest najlepsza tego samego dnia. W lodówce można ją przechować do następnego dnia, ale kapusta zmięknie i puści więcej soku.
