Freshly Harvested Napa Cabbage Salad: A Delicious Side Dish from the Garden
Freshly Harvested Napa Cabbage Salad: A Delicious Side Dish from the Garden
A Healthy Weekend Table Set with Fresh Vegetables from Our Own Garden
My brother-in-law, who farms his own land, left us some fresh Napa cabbage, radish, and green onions he grew in his garden right by our front door. This is our weekend meal made with these wonderful vegetables.
Making Dried Napa Cabbage Leaves (for Storage)- Outer leaves of 1 Napa cabbage
Napa Cabbage Salad- 150g blanched Napa cabbage
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil
Spicy Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)- 1/3 radish
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 3 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil
- A pinch of salt
Napa Cabbage Wraps (Raw or Cooked)- 1/2 Napa cabbage
- Soy sauce-based seasoning (optional)
- Soybean paste seasoning (Makjang) (optional)
- 150g blanched Napa cabbage
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil
Spicy Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)- 1/3 radish
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 3 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil
- A pinch of salt
Napa Cabbage Wraps (Raw or Cooked)- 1/2 Napa cabbage
- Soy sauce-based seasoning (optional)
- Soybean paste seasoning (Makjang) (optional)
- 1/2 Napa cabbage
- Soy sauce-based seasoning (optional)
- Soybean paste seasoning (Makjang) (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Making Dried Napa Cabbage Leaves] First, wash the outer leaves of the Napa cabbage thoroughly. Boil them until tender, then drain and cut into bite-sized pieces. This prepares the cabbage for drying or for immediate use. 
Step 2
If you plan to store them, portion the prepared cabbage into freezer bags, one serving per bag, and freeze. This way, you can easily use them later for soups or other dishes.
Step 3
[Napa Cabbage Salad] Now, let’s make the Napa cabbage salad. Squeeze out the excess water from the blanched cabbage leaves and finely shred them. Shredding them thinly helps the seasoning to penetrate better, making the salad more flavorful. 
Step 4
In a bowl, combine the shredded cabbage with anchovy sauce, minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Gently mix and massage the ingredients together with your hands until well combined. Anchovy sauce adds a wonderful umami depth. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed.
Step 5
[Spicy Radish Salad] Next, we’ll prepare the crisp radish salad. Wash the radish, peel it, and then julienne it as thinly and finely as possible. Chopping some of the radish greens and adding them will provide a beautiful color and added texture. 
Step 6
Place the julienned radish and greens in a bowl. Add minced garlic, anchovy sauce, red pepper flakes, vinegar, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. Mix well with your hands until everything is evenly coated. The vinegar brightens the radish’s natural sweetness.
Step 7
Finally, taste the salad and season with salt if necessary. Transfer the finished radish salad to a serving dish. Its refreshing sweet and sour crunchiness is sure to whet your appetite.
Step 8
[Napa Cabbage Wraps] Lastly, we’ll prepare fresh Napa cabbage wraps. Gently blanch the tender inner leaves of the cabbage, squeeze out the water, and arrange them attractively on a plate. Blanching slightly enhances their natural sweetness. 
Step 9
You can also serve fresh, raw Napa cabbage leaves as wraps. Wash them and separate the leaves for easy eating. For dipping, a savory soybean paste seasoning (Makjang) is a wonderful complement, though a soy sauce-based seasoning can also be offered according to preference.
