How To Spruce Up Cabbage The Japanese Way

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As an instructor of Plant-Based Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York City campus, Richard LaMarita knows a thing or two about produce. He highlights cabbage in particular as a hero, saying, "It is a versatile vegetable that can be steamed, sauteed, roasted, braised, eaten raw, pickled and fermented." Yet, you don't need to go through a lot of trouble to make this hearty veg shine, and LaMarita clued us into one easy preparation method that hails from the Land of the Rising Sun.

"Yamitsuki, a Japanese presentation of cabbage, is a very popular dish in Japan," he said. It is also known as shio kyabetsu, and "is usually served as a side dish in Japanese pubs." Heavy on flavors of salt and umami, it is no wonder the fare is especially beloved while enjoying a cold one. LaMarita said, "It means 'addictive' cabbage due to its delicious, savory and crunchy texture."

One of the most appealing aspects of yamitsuki cabbage is it can be made in as little as five minutes. "It is a simple preparation of sliced cabbage tossed with toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, and salt," LaMarita said. Preparing corned beef and cabbage paired with the perfect wine can take hours, and while it doesn't take much time to add upgrade a bland canned soup with cabbage, you won't get nearly as much flavor out of the hearty veg as you can by making it Japanese-style. A rare combination of flavorful and easy-to-prepare, yamitsuki can also be enhanced to incorporate even more character into the dish.

We asked LaMarita if any variety of cabbage would do when making yamitsuki, and he said, "Yes, it works with all types of cabbage, however, the firmness of the leaf will determine how you cut the cabbage and how long you toss it with the paste. The firmer the leaf, the smaller the cut and the more the tossing." Savoy and Napa cabbages are soft-leaved varieties of the cruciferous veg that won't require as much cutting and tossing as, say, a crunchy red cabbage.

Once the veg is sliced, move on to preparing the dressing. LaMarita said, "Make a paste from the sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic and salt. Toss the paste with the cabbage until completely coated." Using a mortar and pestle, like the Priority Chef Heavy Duty Large Mortar and Pestle Set, is the ideal way to form the paste. Alternatively, you can mix everything together in a bowl, but it might take extra time and effort. With either method, remember you can never taste test a dish too much, so try it out before tossing it with the cabbage to see if any adjustments are necessary.

According to LaMarita, "You can get creative with it and add chili flakes, seaweed such as dulse or nori, or mushrooms." Some folks also like to include chicken bouillon powder to up the salinity and umami flavor. By adding in extras, you can make this cabbage dish your own, and the best part is adding these elements only takes a few extra seconds.