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Epicurious

Thai Chinese Cabbage Salad

By James Peterson

3.8

(6)

This hot and tangy Thai version of coleslaw is one of those dishes that I don't know if they really serve in Thailand but it certainly seems they should. I like it more than traditional coleslaw, and it seems to better suit our modern-day taste for lighter dishes and for the forthright flavors of Asian ingredients. I serve this salad with grilled meats — it's especially great with spare ribs.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 8 side-dish servings

Ingredients

1 napa or other Chinese cabbage (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon coarse salt, preferably sea salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 small Thai chiles or 2 jalapeño chiles
a 2-inch-length lemongrass, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim off any tough or wilted outer leaves from the cabbage and cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters. Cut out and discard any section of stem in the center of each of the quarters. Cut the quarters crosswise into 1/4-inch shreds.

    Step 2

    In a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, rub the cabbage with the salt until all the salt dissolves and you can no longer feel it under your fingers, about 5 minutes. Put the cabbage in a colander set over a bowl to drain for about an hour. Rinse the cabbage with cold water and squeeze the cabbage in small clumps to get rid of the extra water. Toss the drained and squeezed cabbage with the rest of the ingredients in a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Chill slighty in the refrigerator.

Vegetables
TagsSlawSaladThaiSoutheast AsianAsianNapa CabbageCabbageLeafy GreensVegetableThai ChileChileLemongrassHerbs & SpicesSideDinnerNut FreeDairy FreeGluten Free
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