Vietnamese Cabbage Recipes

CRUNCHY VIETNAMESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH PAN-SEARED TOFU

Steps:

• To make vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, lime zest and juice, jalapeño and garlic. Whisk in 3 tablespoons peanut oil.
• Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick. When it shimmers, add the tofu. Cook 3 minutes without moving, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Move the tofu to a cutting board, and brush both sides of each slice generously with this mixture. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss together tofu, cabbage, carrot, peanuts, cilantro and vinaigrette. Garnish with more peanuts and cilantro.

GOI GA (VIETNAMESE CHICKEN AND CABBAGE SALAD)

Steps:

• Combine chicken, cabbage, cilantro, onion, and carrot in a large bowl. Set salad aside.
• Mix vinegar, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and cayenne pepper together in a separate bowl. Add dressing to the bowl with the salad and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to meld.
• Serve salad topped with chopped peanuts.

VIETNAMESE CABBAGE

Steps:

• Beat the egg with the fish sauce and set aside.
• Heat wok over high heat, add garlic and oil.
• When garlic turns brown remove and discard it.
• Add cabbage, stir fry 2 minutes.
• Add 2 Tbs water, cover and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and make a well in cabbage.
• Pour egg mixture in well.
• Stir fry 2 more minutes, add pepper and serve.

VIETNAMESE BOILED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Put cabbabe and ginger slices in a medium pot, put enough water in to cover the cabbage. Add salt if used.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes or until cabbage is cooked - color becomes clear, but not too soft.
• Drain pot of water (save if used for soup) and fill with cold water to stop the cooking.
• Drain completely and put cabbage into serving dish.
• Garnish with ginger slices - we don't eat these but the color is interesting.
• Sauce:.
• Peel hard boiled egg and put into small bowl, pour fish sauce over egg. Use a fork, mash the egg with the fish sauce. Cutting the egg white into small pieces.
• Dip pieces of boiled cabbage into the sauce and enjoy.
• Sometimes if we do not have a soup, my mom would serve the cabbage and ginger broth as a soup in which case she would add the salt to the cooking water and also add fish sauce to the broth at the table to taste. We also add fresh lime juices to the broth at the table if we are using it as a soup. I like this broth poured over a small amount of steamed white rice in my little bowl with a few drops of Tabasco because I love spicy food.

VIETNAMESE BEEF AND RED CABBAGE BOWL

Steps:

• Cut cabbage in half on a flat work surface. Empty one half of the core and most of the interior leaves to act as a bowl. Slice the other half thinly.
• Finely chop 1/2 the red onion and slice the other half thinly.
• Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, ground beef, Fresno chile, paprika, and salt. Cook, breaking up and stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Whisk remaining oil, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime zest together in a small bowl. Stir into the beef mixture and combine thoroughly. Scoop the heated mixture into the cabbage bowl. Top with the sliced cabbage, sliced onion, cilantro, and mint. Serve with lime wedges.