Hannah Che’s Napa Cabbage and Vermicelli Salad
Adapted from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che. This is a dish we love to find in the fridge as lunchtime rolls around, so do consider making extra for leftovers. If you’d like to make it gluten-free, substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce (though start with less because it can be saltier than soy sauce). Che’s original recipe called for twice as much sugar; we pulled it back and found it perfect. Next time we’ll try it without the MSG. The Vegan Chinese Kitchen is included in our roundup of Best New Cookbooks of 2022.
Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
1/2 medium head (1 pound / 450 grams) napa cabbage
1 small Persian cucumber, julienned
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 ounces (56 grams) mung bean vermicelli noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
1/2 medium carrot, finely julienned
1 scallion, both white and green parts, cut into 3-inch segments and thinly julienned
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon MSG
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Instructions
1. Separate the cabbage into leaves. Lay out one leaf and slice it horizontally through the white stem to make it narrower. Repeat with the remaining leaves, then stack and cut them crosswise into 1/8-inch / 3 millimeter shreds. Place in a colander with the cucumber and toss with the salt.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the vermicelli and cook according to the package instructions. (If there are no instructions, cook till tender but still a little chewy, which can be anywhere from 25 seconds to 10 minutes, depending on the brand and the thickness.) Rinse under cold water and drain. Use kitchen shears to snip the noodles into shorter, more manageable lengths.
3. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the cabbage and cucumber by pressing them between your hands. Drop each squeezed handful into a large bowl, without rinsing the vegetables. Add the vermicelli noodles, carrot, scallion, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, MSG and sesame oil and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can enjoy this immediately or chill it in the refrigerator, covered, for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Stir in the cilantro just before serving for the freshest flavor.
Hannah Che's Napa Cabbage and Vermicelli Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium head (1 pound / 450 grams) napa cabbage
- 1 small Persian cucumber, julienned
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 ounces (56 grams) mung bean vermicelli noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
- 1/2 medium carrot, finely julienned
- 1 scallion, both white and green parts, cut into 3-inch segments and thinly julienned
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Separate the cabbage into leaves. Lay out one leaf and slice it horizontally through the white stem to make it narrower. Repeat with the remaining leaves, then stack and cut them crosswise into 1/8-inch / 3 millimeter shreds. Place in a colander with the cucumber and toss with the salt.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the vermicelli and cook according to the package instructions. (If there are no instructions, cook till tender but still a little chewy, which can be anywhere from 25 seconds to 10 minutes, depending on the brand and the thickness.) Rinse under cold water and drain. Use kitchen shears to snip the noodles into shorter, more manageable lengths.
- Squeeze out the excess liquid from the cabbage and cucumber by pressing them between your hands. Drop each squeezed handful into a large bowl, without rinsing the vegetables. Add the vermicelli noodles, carrot, scallion, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, MSG and sesame oil and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can enjoy this immediately or chill it in the refrigerator, covered, for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Stir in the cilantro just before serving for the freshest flavor.
