Name: Napa Cabbage Slaw with Snow Peas and Mint
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup white wine vinegar; 1 serrano chile , stemmed, seeded, and minced; 4 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon honey; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 small head napa cabbage , sliced thin (9 cups); 6 ounces snow peas , strings removed, cut lengthwise into matchsticks; 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts , chopped fine; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

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 slaw, we make a potent dressing with a high ratio of vinegar to oil. After tossing the cabbage with the dressing and letting it sit for about 5 minutes, moisture from the cabbage dilutes the dressing slightly, so the slaw reaches 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. To make this dish spicier, add the ribs and seeds of the serrano.

Instructions

Bring vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer vinegar to large bowl and let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Whisk in serrano, oil, lime juice, fish sauce, honey, and salt.

When ready to serve, add cabbage and snow peas to dressing and toss to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add peanuts and mint and toss to combine. Serve.