Japanese Cabbage Salad
A super quick Japanese cabbage salad that's easy to make and helps relieve stress.
📝 Editor's Notes
This Japanese cabbage salad is a super simple recipe that allows you to quickly and easily maintain your health amidst a busy daily life.
The crispness of fresh cabbage, savory sesame oil, pungent garlic, and the umami of chicken bouillon powder combine to create an addictive flavor that you won't be able to stop eating once you start.
With no complicated cooking process, it's simply a matter of shaking, making it a foolproof dish even for beginner cooks.
It makes an excellent side dish that cleanses the palate, especially when paired with spicy or oily main courses.
Light, refreshing, yet satisfying, it's perfect to enjoy anytime without feeling heavy.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
The key ingredient that determines the taste of this salad is, of course, cabbage.
A good cabbage has clean, firm outer leaves and feels heavy when held.
When cut, choose one with a small core and tightly packed leaves to enjoy a fresh and crisp taste.
Using fresh domestic garlic significantly enhances the aroma and flavor.
Minced fresh, firm garlic yourself will create a much deeper flavor than store-bought minced garlic.
Selecting clear, fragrant domestic sesame oil will further elevate the salad's flavor.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If you don't have chicken bouillon powder, which is key to the umami in this salad, you can try substituting with 1/4 tsp of oyster sauce or 1/4 tsp of kelp dashi powder.
Oyster sauce will add a unique seafood umami, and kelp dashi powder can provide a cleaner taste, but remember that they may subtly differ from the deep flavor of original chicken bouillon powder.
If you use perilla oil instead of sesame oil, the nuttiness will be similar, but the strong characteristic aroma of perilla oil might make it feel less Japanese.
If cabbage is unavailable or you prefer other vegetables, you can substitute with iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce.
While you can maintain the crisp texture, it might be difficult to achieve the firm, slightly sweet taste unique to cabbage.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are three crucial cooking points for this salad.
First, completely remove moisture from the cabbage.
After washing thoroughly, drain the cabbage well in a colander or pat it dry with paper towels to ensure the seasoning adheres properly and to maintain its crisp texture throughout.
Second, adhere precisely to the proportions of the sauce ingredients.
Especially, 1/3 tbsp of chicken bouillon powder is the secret to this salad's umami, so it's important not to omit it.
Third, the process of closing the lid and shaking 'vigorously'.
This step ensures the cabbage is evenly coated with the seasoning and enhances its unique crisp texture, so shake until your arm hurts!
👨🍳 Directions
Before washing, thoroughly remove the outer leaves, browned parts, and core from the cabbage.
Cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces, place them in a large bowl, wash thoroughly, and drain the water.
Transfer the washed cabbage to a container with a lid.
Mince 4 cloves of garlic to prepare 1 tbsp of minced garlic, then mix well with 3-4 tbsp of sesame oil.
Add 1/2 tbsp of salt and 1/3 tbsp of chicken bouillon powder to the container with the cabbage, close the lid, and shake vigorously.
Add all of the pre-prepared garlic sauce and finely ground sesame seeds (to taste).
Close the lid again and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined.
💡 Tips
This salad is great for relieving stress.
The combination of fresh ingredients and strong seasoning is characteristic of Japanese cuisine.
Adding chicken bouillon powder is essential for this flavor.
It's very easy to make, and you won't gain weight even if you eat the whole container.
📦 Storage & Reuse
The prepared cabbage salad is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
However, since the cabbage may release water and lose its crispness, it is recommended to consume it within one or two days.
Prolonged storage can alter the seasoning and soften the cabbage.
If you have leftover cabbage salad, try adding it to fried rice or using it as a filling for sandwiches or toast.
Adding it to fried rice will enhance the sweetness of the cabbage for a richer flavor, and in sandwiches, its crisp texture will stimulate your appetite.
🥢 Who This Is For
This salad is highly recommended for those who lack vegetable intake or are on a diet.
You can enjoy it deliciously without worrying about calories.
It will also be a lifesaver for busy working mothers and people living alone, allowing them to prepare a healthy side dish in a flash.
It pairs wonderfully with meat dishes like samgyeopsal (삼겹살) or steak, or fried dishes like donkatsu (pork cutlet) or fried chicken, as it helps cut through richness and refresh the palate.
It's also great to enjoy alongside ramen or fried rice.
🔥 Nutrition Info
Based on a 2-serving portion, this cabbage salad is estimated to have approximately 290 kcal per serving.
Carbohydrates are estimated at about 10.5g, protein at about 2.5g, and fat at about 26g.
Cabbage, the main ingredient, contains vitamins C and K, and rich dietary fiber, which aids in gut health and strengthens immunity.
Sesame oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, beneficial for cardiovascular health, but its quantity contributes significantly to the calorie count.
Garlic is rich in antioxidants, which are good for fatigue recovery.
However, due to the salt and chicken bouillon powder, the sodium content may be somewhat high, so those sensitive to sodium intake should adjust the amount of salt.
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