Recipe notes
The salad will keep for a few days in the fridge, fresh and crisp. If you don't have a mandolin, you'll need an extremely sharp Japanese knife to slice the cabbage finely.
A much sweeter variant of this salad is served in Parisian Japanese restaurants. To obtain this salad, simply add a lot more sugar, without soy sauce.
You can also add sesame seeds.
DID YOU KNOW?
Raw cabbage is excellent for your health, and we even recommend eating it regularly! In fact, cabbage is a source of beta-carotene (vitamin A), which promotes healthy skin, bones and eyes. Cabbage is also said to help eliminate toxins and cleanse our faith!
SOJA SAUCE
A staple in every Japanese cupboard, soy sauce (shoyu) is made from soybeans, wheat, water and salt. It is used daily to season dishes.
ALGUE NORI
Primarily used for wrapping maki, nori seaweed can also be eaten seasoned or as a condiment for rice (furikake).
THE KATSUOBUSHI
Katsuobushi is made from dried bonito shavings (a fish related to tuna). Similar to wood, these shavings are used in dashi broth, but also as a condiment. Very fine and airy, they seem to move in the plate and can be surprising the first time you see them! They are usually sprinkled on dishes such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakisoba...
WHITE, RED AND GREEN CABBAGE
These 3 types of cabbage are similar, but have a few special features:
Green cabbage has wavy, dark leaves. It is best eaten cooked. It is often prepared with meat stuffing. Available from October to April.
Red cabbage has smooth, shiny purple leaves. It is often used in salads, in combination with white cabbage. Harvested in autumn.
White cabbage can be recognized by its pale green color and smooth leaves. It is often eaten raw, in salads, but can also be cooked. Harvested in June.
