We’re doing vegetarian meals for a few weeks, so I went and impulse bought a bunch of cool-looking vegetables. Now I don’t know what to do with the napa I got. Slaw is not terribly appealing in winter weather. I don’t think I have the wherewithal to put together egg rolls or dumplings. Got any good recipes?
I would suggest braising it. Easy, yummy, healthy.
I was coming to recommend that.
We eat a lot of it cooked like that, eaten along with rice.
Sounds good - I’ll pair it with some fried rice! Thanks guys.
Maybe Vegetarian Shabu Shabu? If you have a Fondue pot sitting somewhere in a cupboard collecting dust, this might be a good way to get some use out of it.
Make Kombu dashi by letting a piece of sushi seaweed sit in the bottom of a pot of boiling vegteable stock with a slice of crushed ginger… and a bit of soy sauce for around ten minutes. Chop a variety of vegetables along with the napa cabbage and some nice thick mushroom slices (shiitake or portabello), as well as slices of tofu. Place on one communal or individual serving plates along with some fresh or pre-boiled and cooled soba noodles. Add the kombu dashi to the fondue pot and add vegetables as desired- fish out the veggies with chopsticks when cooked to desired doneness and dip in a traditional sesame dipping sauce as a side, eat over rice if desired. When the vegetables are near the end and the broth is flavorful from the imparted essence of the ingredients, add the broth to a bowlful of the soba noodles and enjoy a final course of ramen.
It’s convenient. quick. and easy to prepare, just chop the veggies and plate, as well as being a hearty winter dish.
That sounds really good, and a wonderful way to implement the tricks I’m learning from Mindless Eating as well! I’m definitely doing that some weekend!
Su-mo-fu-do
Make kimchi! If you make it yourself, you can choose how spicy it’ll be. You can google for recipes yourself, but here’s how I make it.
Pick off the whole leaves, wash them. Get a big bowl, put in a quart of water and a quarter-cup of salt. Put the leaves in the salt water, let them soak. Soaking time should be several hours at least.
Make the paste. I use ground chili pepper, minced garlic, and fish or oyster sauce. I’m generous with the pepper and garlic, less so with the fish sauce. Maybe 1 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon proportions. There’s no one correct way to make kimchi, just like there’s no one correct way to make cheese. So feel free to adjust to whatever you like.
Rinse off the leaves. You don’t want to leave too much salt on them. After rinsing, coat both sides of each leaf with the paste. Pack them tightly in a glass or plastic container. Seal the container and put it in a cool dark place, but don’t refrigerate. Wait at least a day. The longer you wait, the more sour the kimchi will be.
To serve, take out a leaf or two and cut into squares.
I made the braised napa, and it was really tasty. I love the ginger flavor, and the sauce is just the right amount and the right consistency.
I’m not sure I’m bold enough to make kimchi. Sour/spicy/fermented doesn’t sound terribly good to me, and leaving something in a jar at room temp seems so wrong it puts me off the whole idea.
Well, I know you eated it already, but for future napa cabbage purchases, you could make the easy and delicious lion’s head meatball soup.
You had me at “oversized pork meatballs.” That is going on my list for when we get back into meat-eating mode.
We are SO having this this weekend! If I hadn’t already started dirty rice we would be making this for tonight,
I have a great recipe for Korean chicken tacos that calls for napa cabbage. Too bad you’re going veg.
I’m veg too, but I fall off the wagon occasionally—do share. 
Korean Chicken Tacos
Adapted from Hankook Taqueria, Atlanta
Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 to 4 hours’ marinating
For marinating chicken:
1/4 cup Korean red pepper paste (gochujang, available in Korean markets)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons hot red-pepper flakes
To serve:
3 leaves green leaf lettuce, shredded
1 cup shredded green **Napa cabbage **or other cabbage
1/2 cup diced Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup sliced scallions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 burrito-size or 12 taco-size flour tortillas
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
6 lime wedges, for garnish.
- For marinating chicken: In a bowl (or sealable plastic bag) combine red pepper paste, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Add chicken and mix again. Cover (or seal) and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
- For the vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and pepper flakes. Whisk until well blended.
- Prepare a grill or heat a large skillet. Grill or sauté chicken until golden brown on all sides and opaque in center; be careful not to overcook. Remove from heat and cut into 3/4-inch dice.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine lettuce, cabbage, onion, scallions and cilantro. Toss with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette, or to taste. Place a tortilla on each of 6 serving plates. Place an equal portion of chicken on each tortilla, and top with a portion of salad. Sprinkle with cheese, garnish plate with a lime wedge.
Yield: 6 servings.