Name: Napa Cabbage Slaw with Carrots and Sesame
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup white wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 small head napa cabbage , sliced thin (9 cups); 2 carrots , peeled and grated; 4 scallions , sliced thin on bias; 1/4 cup sesame seeds , toasted

Why This Recipe Works

For a slaw with a more tender, delicate texture and sweeter flavor, we traded traditional green cabbage for napa cabbage. Its more delicate structure also means that it will leach twice as much liquid as regular cabbage. To avoid a bland, watered-down salad, we made a potent dressing with a high ratio of vinegar to oil. We also cooked down the dressing’s vinegar to offset the diluting power of the cabbage’s water. After we tossed the cabbage with the dressing and let it sit for about 5 minutes, the slaw reached the perfect level of bright acidity. Adding another crunchy vegetable, some colorful herbs, and a handful of seeds or nuts gave the slaw an additional layer of flavor and texture.

Before You Begin

This slaw is best served within an hour of being dressed. Use the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots.

Instructions

Bring white wine vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer white wine vinegar to large bowl and let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Whisk in sesame oil, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and salt.

When ready to serve, add cabbage and carrots to dressing and toss to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add scallions and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Serve.