I don’t know if this recipe is local to Chinese restaurants in my are or not…
About 1/2 of the Chinese restaurants in South Jersey put a plate of cold, marinated white cabbage on the table as a free “teaser” appitizer. The cabbage is chunked and/or sliced, and is slightly sweet and seems to be a bit vinegary as well. Usually there are a few sliced carrots (for color) and a few dried small red peppers (to add a little kick) as well. The cabbage is plain old cabbage.
Most establishments refer to the dish as “Chinese Salad” but a few have called it “sweet & sour cabbage”
I have gone bonkers trying to find the recipe online. I’ve found many recipies that sound similar…but they are not it. (and I can’t get the restaurants to tell me the recipe.)
My kids LOVE this stuff and eat it by the quart container.
-The marinade is clear as water.
-the only ingredients are about 97% cabbage, 2% carrots, 1% peppers. Plus the clear liquid. No other ingredients are present.
-It’s always served refrigerated.
You can make a pretty mean cole slaw with vinegar, sugar, water, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Not a lot of sesame oil, as if you were replacing the mayo or yoghurt in a regular cole slaw recipe, just enough to flavor the cabbage. I’ve had something similar in chinese restaurants, not sure what they called it.
i’ve misplaced my copy of “chinese cooking the american way” by catharine liu, but i swear by it as a source for just about any dish you’ll find in a chinese restaurant here in america.
my guess is that it’s primarily rice vinegar and sugar, with perhaps a bit of sesame oil and 5 spice added.
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If you go to keyword–type in sweet and sour cabbage–and click on go-- you’ll get it–by the dozens!
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I know, but they are hot, main-dish recipies. I’ve googled to death on this!
not sure what you’re looking for, but one of my favourite ‘teaser’ appetisers of this kind is the korean kimchi. there are various types and more of a side dish in korea i think, though the one i like is indeed served cold as an appetiser.
