Appetizer, Side Dish (Vegan)
10 minutes prep, 4 hrs rest time, 5 minutes cooking time
This dish is sometimes served in Sichuan restaurants as an appetizer. It’s really simple. Lasts for about 3 days in the fridge so you can make it ahead of time. You can also put on top of ramen, fried rice, and other dishes to add a delicious crunch.
The key to getting the cabbage super crunchy is using salt to draw moisture out of the cabbage. You will need to make the dish ahead of time, but it’s well worth it.
Ingredients:
- ⅓ to ½ head green cabbage (roughly 4 cups - shredded chopped). Cabbage heads vary in size so I gave the 4 cup measurement as a rough estimate. This recipe is very forgiving. Note that you can also use purple cabbage, but when you draw out the moisture, the paper towels will be stained purple!
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp of Madame Susan Chili Crisp
Equipment:
- Large sheet baking pan
- Paper towels
- Second baking sheet or something to weigh down the cabbage
- Small frying pan
Directions:
- Wash and pat the cabbage dry. Chop up the cabbage by slicing halfway through, then again so the cabbage is in quarters. Remove the center core of the cabbage and slice vertically against the grain to create shreds of ¼ to ½ inch thick ribbons.
- Line the baking sheet with paper towels. Spread cabbage thinly over paper towels (no more than ¾ inch thick). Use a second sheet if necessary.
- Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the cabbage. Use your fingers to work it into the shredded leaves.
- Place paper towels on top of the cabbage in a thin layer. Then place the pan or whatever you are using as weight over the cabbage. This will help to press out the excess moisture. Leave for 4hrs on the countertop or refrigerator. The longer you leave the cabbage for, the crunchier the texture will be.
- After 4 hours or more, Remove the paper towels from the cabbage. You can use the paper towels to pat dry any moisture you see on the cabbage.
- Heat up 2 tbsp of Madame Susan Chili Crisp in the frying pan until oil is just hot and pour over the cabbage in the baking pan. Mix thoroughly until cabbage is covered.
- Serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.