Pickled Napa Cabbage Slaw
Last week we prepared an Asian Style Lobster Salad with Lemon Grass Infused Mayonnaise upon the grand re-opening of Assi Plaza in North Wales, Pennsylvania.
The accompanying side dish, Pickled Napa Cabbage Slaw was prepared a day in advance before serving and perfectly complemented the Lobster Salad with Lemongrass Infused Mayonnaise.
Large, firm, pale greenish yellow leaves bunched tightly together appear almost like giant flowers lining the rectangular flat board area at the market typically reserved for the larger, common, produce essentials. Napa Cabbage is a much popular ingredient in many styles of Asian cooking- or non- cooking as our recipe shows today.
The super easy preparation of this pickled slaw is not much different than preparing a fresh Cole- Slaw- sans the fresh ginger, and using rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.
Of course, we are using a different cabbage too, rather than the firm round variety.
This Asian style pickling process only involves refrigerating overnight.
At Asian Markets Napa Cabbages are generally large sized averaging about 2-3 pounds.
Since my family loves any type Asian style pickled foods, I’ve prepared today’s recipe using the whole Napa Cabbage a bit over 2 pounds. The recipe can easily be halved and adjusted to desired amounts.
Once you’ve prepped the vegetables simply pour the rice vinegar into the pot.
Add the sugar.
Add the ginger. Cook on very low heat until the sugar has fully dissolved and is warmed all through around five minutes. Turn off the burner, and cool mixture to room temperature.
Once the vinegar, sugar, and ginger combination are at room temp, pour all over the vegetables in a glass dish. Stir thoroughly about and refrigerate overnight, stirring once in between.
And there you have it Pickled Napa Cabbage Slaw to side with your Asian Lobster Salad with Lemongrass Infused Mayonnaise, or, whatever else your heart and taste buds desire.
Pickled Napa Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 large Napa cabbage, approximately two pounds, sliced in half lengthwise, root end removed, then thinly sliced into long thin strips and quartered
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
- 1-2 long hot green peppers, seeded, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fine chopped ginger
- 2 cups rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame salt, approximately, or more to taste (may substitute a few generous pinches kosher salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or more to taste
Instructions
- Pour rice wine vinegar into a nonreactive saucepan, stir in the sugar and chopped ginger
- Heat mixture on very low heat stirring occasionally until the sugar is melted into the vinegar and the combination is hot, approximately five minutes.
- Turn off heat and bring to room temperature
- Combine Napa cabbage, carrots, red pepper, and hot green pepper into a long glass dish
- Pour rice vinegar mixture over the vegetables stirring to combine well
- Cover and refrigerate pickled cabbage slaw overnight, removing once from the refrigerator to thoroughly stir together mixture
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