Do you ever make something with the best intention and then
shove it to the back of the fridge only to forget about it? That’s what
happened to me and a jar of Chinese hot and sour napa cabbage. I’d made it
around Chinese New Year and at the last minute, decided to not serve it because
it didn’t go with the Vietnamese pickles that I’d prepared. I put it away, only to rediscover it months
later this afternoon. It tasted fine and I ended up snacking on about a quarter
of the jar before dinner. It’s suppose to be a palate arouser.
This is an unusual pickle for a couple of reasons. It’s
tangy and spicy from the seasonings and the cabbage is salted and squeezed to
eliminate excess moisture. Those are pretty standard approaches but there’s a
stir-frying process involved which adds a touch of oil. The result is fatty
tasting and luscious.
We don’t tend to think of pickles as being rich but the
Chinese figured out a way to imbue that quality into humble napa cabbage. I was
totally impressed after I initially made the pickled cabbage, but even more so
months later when I found in the back of the fridge. Despite the chiles and
ginger, this is no kimchi as there’s no fermentation. Just a friendly pickle.
What and how to enjoy
this pickle? I nibbled it as is, but it would be great as a side dish in a meal of dumplings such
as pot stickers. It would be great with a few other small bites, such as the salted
caramelized walnuts and chilled
edamame with star anise. I’ve suggested more snackies below. Also search
the VWK recipe
index for ideas.
Use a pristine head of napa or discard tired looking leaves before cutting the cabbage for this pickle.
RECIPE
Hot and Sour Napa
Cabbage Pickle
Makes about 1 ½
cups
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) napa cabbage
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan
peppercorns - 2 to 3 teaspoons minced ginger
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons regular soy sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Cut a ½ to ¾-inch (about 2 cm) thick slice off the
bottom of the head of cabbage. Cut that base into 8 to 10 wedges. Those pieces
give the pickle some nice body and texture. Cut the leaves that you now have into
pieces about 1 inch thick and 2 inches long. As needed, halve the big leaves
lengthwise before cutting them crosswise. - Put the cabbage in a bowl and toss with salt. Cover and let
sit 4 to 6 hours, or overnight at room temperature. It’ll wilt. - Drain and rinse the cabbage well. By the handful, give it a
squeeze to remove excess moisture. Replace in the bowl. Set near the stove. - Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat, then swirl in
the oil. Add the peppercorns, ginger, and chile flakes, stirring briskly until
aromatic, about 10 seconds. Add the cabbage, stir-fry to combine, then add the
soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the seasonings
to penetrate the cabbage. Lower the heat slightly to enable you to gauge the
flavor. Tweak it as needed. I aim for a tart-sweetness. When you’re satisfied,
transfer the cabbage and seasonings to a bowl or jar. Let cool before eating.
Better yet, cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours before eating. Serve
chilled, which means you can eat it out of the bowl or jar!
More small snackies:
- Salted
caramelized walnuts - Chilled
cucumber with garlic * - Watermelon
radish and cucumber salad * - Chilled
edamame with star anise - Celery
and carrot tossed with sesame
* On AsianDumplingTips.com
Chris says
Really interesting. More like an "instant" Kimchi. Did it taste much different after a few months then when you first made it? I suspect it should still ferment a little bit.
Barry K says
Totally unbelievable.
On Sunday, I put up some kimchi. Snacking on several pieces of the salted Napa, I decided that I loved the flavor.
Yesterday, I salted a head of Napa, intending to make some sort of pickle--but thinking of a simple brine. But I got busy, and...
How timely, and appreciated, is your Post.
Andrea Nguyen says
Yes but also no. I thought there would be some funky fizziness but I think that the oil retarded any major fermentation process. So interesting as to what happens when you forget stuff in the back of your fridge.
Andrea Nguyen says
Teehee, this will be the opposite end of the spectrum vis a vis kimchi's big flavor.
Bee, Rasa Malaysia says
I love this...some Chinese restaurants would give a small plate to the customers. I wish more restaurants give us this instead of roasted peanuts. 😐
[email protected] says
sans oil and frying, this is similar to Filipino achara - sometimes spelled acharra, atchara, atcharra, etc .. akin to versions made by indian and middle eastern cultures .. ours is traditionally made with shredded green unripe papaya, plus a bit of carrot and red bell pepper for color .. an essential sour-sweet-crunchy (i make mine spicy with labuyo aka thai bird chiles) relish that is essential to serve with grilled anything - seafood, poultry, pork, beef .. a less pricey and laborious version is made with cabbage, but it doesn't satisfy like the green papaya version.
i also 'pickle' small cucumbers, with just garlic and dill - so quick and easy, and lasts as long as you can refrain.
i am curious now - why does kimchi bubble and ferment?
Andrea Nguyen says
I know but I kind of like the peanuts too! How about both? That would make us happy.
Andrea Nguyen says
Lactic acid gets kimchi going. It's naturally occurring, beneficial for digestion. However I tend to eat too much kimchi and get a stomach ache. Piggy me.
Thanks for the Filipino take. I want to try it out!
[email protected] says
when i don't have my own, i buy jars of achara (cabbage) from the Goldilocks chain of Filipino bakeries/restaurants. you're in santa cruz CA, right? .. the closest branch to you is -
Goldilocks Bakeshop & Restaurant
1698 Hostetter Rd
San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 453-2537
http://www.yelp.com/biz/goldilocks-bakeshop-and-restaurant-san-jose
Andrea Nguyen says
I haven't been to a Goldilocks for so long! Thanks for the tip.
Dallas SEO Companies says
This is so delicious. Thanks for the tips.