Asian vegetable side dishes
Asian vegetable side dishes
This post is about Asian vegetable side dishes with cucumber / Chinese cabbage. These are convenient when you want an extra dish or when you want to eat more vegetables or when you have some vegetables left in the refrigerator.
When I cook Japanese or Asian dinner, most of the time I make a vegetable side dish as well. These two side dishes are the ones I often make. Because they are easy to make and you can eat them for a couple of days, so they are like “long-lasting salad”. Being freshly made, you can enjoy the fresh taste and texture, and after a while, as the taste will be absorbed, this is also delicious. I think these are recipes that you can use repeatedly.
This time I write two recipes for cucumber and Chinese cabbage. These vegetables are available at every supermarket, and they are inexpensive. The recipes may originate from other Asian countries, but they are very common in Japanese homes.
If you are interested in the nutrition and health benefits of cucumber and Chinese cabbage, click the links below.
How to make
In both recipes, first sprinkle with salt. Why do you sprinkle salt on the vegetables? By using the difference in osmotic pressure, the water content of the vegetables is removed in advance, and the seasoning is easily absorbed.
When some water comes out after a while, drain the water and add seasoning and mix. Basically, this is all. But for the Chinese cabbage side dish, in order to finish the dish, sprinkle hot sesame oil over ginger and leek. This makes the vegetables lightly cook and increase their richness and aroma.
I have written two seasoning mixes in each recipe. These are just examples, so change them to your liking and find your own taste. Usually I add a little more sugar to the side dish if the main dish is salty or spicy. On the contrary, when the main is mild, I try to balance the taste by adding extra chili and / or ginger etc.
In addition, the recipes use ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, red pepper, etc., but change this as you like.
Asian side dish – cucumber
Equipment
- A plastic bag or a container with a lid
Ingredients
- 200-250 gram Cucumber
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- A. 1½ tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
- A. 1 tablespoon Rice vineger or white vineger
- A. 1 tablespoon Sugar
- A. 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- A. 1 – 2 teaspoon Sesame seeds
- B. 2 tablespoon Rice vineger or white vineger
- B. 2 tablespoon Sugar
- B. 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- B. ½ Dried chili (removed the seeds)
- B. 10 gram Giner (Ginger (peeled and finely shredded)
Instructions
- Wash cucumber and if you like, you can peel the cucumber in a striped pattern with a peeler. Cut the cucumber in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut to a width of 7-8 mm.
- Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and mix. Leave for about 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain the water, and use a paper towel to remove excess water.
- Put the cucumbers in a plastic bag or a container and add seasonings A or B and mix well.
Notes
Asian side dish – Chinese cabbage
Equipment
- 2 bowls
Ingredients
- 350 gram Chinese cabbage
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 cup Water
- 15-20 gram Ginger (peeled and finely shredded)
- 5 cm Leek (cut it in half vertically and cut it into thin strips) using white part
- A. 3 tablespoon Rice vinegar or white vinegar
- A. 3 tablespoon Sugar
- B. 3 tablespoon Rice vinegar or white vinegar
- B. 1½ tablespoon Sugar
- B. 1½ tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
- 1 – 1½ tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 – 2 Dried chili (cut in half and removed seeds)
Instructions
- Cut Chinese cabbage to a length of 5-6 cm and cut into thin strips along the fibers. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt and pour 1 cup of water and mix the whole.
- Put the plastic wrap on top. Put about 2 liters of water in a bowl and place the bowl on top of the Chinese cabbage. Leave it for about 10 – 15 minutes. The weight has the role of encouraging the moisture to come out from the vegetable and preventing the moisture once removed from returning.
- When the Chinese cabbage is soft, squeeze the water well. Then add seasoning A or B and mix well. Then place finely shredded ginger and leek over the Chinese cabbage.
- Put sesame oil and dried red chili in a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
- When the sesame oil is very hot and red chili is getting black, sprinkle it over the ginger and leek and mix to blend in the taste.
- You can eat it immediately, but it will be even more delicious if you leave it for more than 2 hours.
Notes
It’s very easy to make, so please try it. If you like to see another vegetable side dish, click the link below.
Thank you for reading. Bon Appetit!
