Crispy Napa Cabbage Salad Recipe
Crispy Napa Cabbage Salad Recipe
How to Make Delicious Napa Cabbage Namul, Simple Napa Cabbage Dish
This Napa Cabbage Namul features a delightful harmony of the cabbage’s natural sweetness and the nutty aroma of sesame and perilla oils. Its mild and savory flavor makes it a perfect side dish for children, and a wonderful palate-refresher when you’ve lost your appetite. The satisfying crunch adds another layer of enjoyment to this dish.
Main Ingredients- 1 head young Napa cabbage
- 60g carrot (approx. 1/4 medium)
Seasoning- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 Tbsp perilla oil
- Salt to taste (adjust as needed)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 Tbsp perilla oil
- Salt to taste (adjust as needed)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Thoroughly wash the fresh young Napa cabbage under running water. Trim the base and then cut the cabbage in half. This helps the seasoning penetrate evenly into the leaves.
Step 2
Cut the tender leaf parts of the prepared cabbage into large, bite-sized pieces. Be careful not to cut them too small, as this can reduce the crispiness.
Step 3
Unlike the leaves, the firmer stem parts of the cabbage should be chopped slightly smaller than the leaves, about 0.5 cm thick. This ensures that all parts cook in a similar amount of time, resulting in a uniform texture.
Step 4
Peel and wash the carrot, then julienne it thinly. The addition of carrot adds a beautiful color and boosts the nutritional value.
Step 5
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add only the stem parts of the Napa cabbage and blanch for exactly 1 minute. The stems are slightly firmer, so blanching them first helps preserve their crispiness.
Step 6
After 1 minute, add the Napa cabbage leaves and the julienned carrot to the pot. Continue to blanch for another 2 minutes. Blanching for a total of about 3 minutes is key to maintaining the fresh, crisp texture of the cabbage. Overcooking will make it mushy.
Step 7
Drain the blanched cabbage and carrot using a colander and transfer them to a large bowl. While it’s best to season while warm for flavor absorption, let it cool slightly to prevent clumping before adding the seasoning.
Step 8
Add minced garlic (1 Tbsp), soy sauce (1 Tbsp), sesame oil (1 Tbsp), and perilla oil (0.5 Tbsp) to the cabbage and carrot in the bowl. Gently mix everything together. Finally, add salt to taste and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. The nutty flavors of the sesame and perilla oils, combined with the cabbage’s sweetness, create a truly delicious seasoned vegetable dish.
