# Recipe for "Chinese Salad" or "Sweet & Sour Cabbage" anyone?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 1, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928 "2004-05-01T03:05:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/1 "2004-05-01T03:05:21Z")
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.
Anyone?
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### Author:  [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/2 "2004-05-01T03:10:22Z")
I can add to the description…
-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.
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/3 "2004-05-01T03:13:11Z")
[This](http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/vegetables/cabbage/00/rec0071.html) looks like it might fit the bill. At least one of the ingredients is vinegar, and the chili peppers are present. Maybe?
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### Author:  [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/4 "2004-05-01T03:14:51Z")
QED, I appreciate the help, but thats a hot dish.
The cabbage in this salad is cold and crunchy. It’s uncooked. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/5 "2004-05-01T03:43:44Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@trey\_goesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trey_goesh)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/6 "2004-05-01T03:48:30Z")
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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### Author:  [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/7 "2004-05-04T19:18:00Z")
> [@trey goesh](#):
>
> 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.
I’ll give it a try. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/8 "2004-05-04T22:52:58Z")
> [@PecanSandy](#):
>
> 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.
>
> Anyone?
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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### Author:  [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/9 "2004-05-05T17:21:56Z")
\>\>\>\>
If you go to keyword–type in sweet and sour cabbage–and click on go-- you’ll get it–by the dozens!
\>\>\>\>
I know, but they are hot, main-dish recipies. I’ve googled to death on this!
🙂
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### Author:  [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/10 "2004-05-05T17:43:24Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-for-chinese-salad-or-sweet-sour-cabbage-anyone/242928/11 "2004-05-05T17:51:58Z")
Questions about cooking and recipes usually do best in Cafe Society, so I’ll move this thread over there.
bibliophage
moderator GQ