Yamitsuki (Addictive Cabbage) Recipe • 4★

Recipe from Aiko Cascio

Adapted by Ligaya Mishan

Updated January 3, 2025

Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop Stylist: Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.

In Japanese, “yamitsuki” means addictive — a precise description of this seemingly humble side dish of cabbage, gently torn and simply anointed with sesame oil and seeds, garlic, black pepper and a fingerprint’s worth of salt. So few ingredients, so little time required, and you can’t stop eating it. Often served at izakayas, the Japanese equivalent of pubs, the cabbage is especially good for refreshing the palate and easing the stomach between bites of richer, fattier foods. Aiko Cascio, an instructor for the New York-based League of Kitchens cooking school, prefers tearing the leaves by hand rather than using a knife because the rougher edges absorb more of the sesame oil. This recipe, from “The League of Kitchens Cookbook” (Harvest, 2024) by Lisa Kyung Gross, Rachel Wharton and the women of the League of Kitchens cooking school, calls for flathead cabbage, also known as Taiwanese cabbage, which is soft and tender, with space between the ribs. If you can find only green, Ms. Cascio advises cutting it into smaller pieces and letting it rest a little longer in salt, for greater pliancy. —Ligaya Mishan

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1 pound Taiwanese flathead cabbage or Napa cabbage (about ½ cabbage), see Tip

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper

2 medium garlic cloves

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon untoasted sesame seeds

Step 1Prepare the cabbage: Peel away any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Trim any brown or oxidized bits, then halve the cabbage through its core and remove the solid white heart— you can usually do this just by cutting out a little triangle with the tip of a large knife.

Prepare the cabbage: Peel away any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Trim any brown or oxidized bits, then halve the cabbage through its core and remove the solid white heart— you can usually do this just by cutting out a little triangle with the tip of a large knife.

Step 2Cut the leaves of the cabbage into rough 1 ¼-inch square pieces. If you spot any very thick pieces, like the parts of the leaves that were closer to the core, cut them not into squares but into thin slices about ¼-inch wide.

Cut the leaves of the cabbage into rough 1 ¼-inch square pieces. If you spot any very thick pieces, like the parts of the leaves that were closer to the core, cut them not into squares but into thin slices about ¼-inch wide.

Step 3Wash and drain the cut pieces of the cabbage in a colander in the sink. (They do not need to be totally dry.) Put the cabbage pieces in a very large bowl and sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons salt, then crunch and scrunch the leaves with your hands, making sure they’re all separated, well mixed in with the salt, and beginning to soften. Let the salted cabbage sit for 10 minutes.

Wash and drain the cut pieces of the cabbage in a colander in the sink. (They do not need to be totally dry.) Put the cabbage pieces in a very large bowl and sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons salt, then crunch and scrunch the leaves with your hands, making sure they’re all separated, well mixed in with the salt, and beginning to soften. Let the salted cabbage sit for 10 minutes.

Step 4Make the dressing: While the cabbage sits, finely grate the garlic into a smooth paste into a small bowl (you should have about ½ tablespoon). Whisk the sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper into the bowl with the garlic.

Make the dressing: While the cabbage sits, finely grate the garlic into a smooth paste into a small bowl (you should have about ½ tablespoon). Whisk the sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper into the bowl with the garlic.

Step 5Check the cabbage: After 10 minutes, the cabbage should be slightly wilted and taste slightly salty. Test a leaf by rinsing it under running water and tasting it; it should taste like the leaf absorbed some salt. (If not, let it sit for 10 more minutes and then taste again.) Put the cabbage pieces in a colander or salad spinner, rinse off the salt under running water, then drain the cabbage as well as you can. (It won’t be bone dry, but it shouldn’t be sopping wet.) Let it sit until you are ready to dress the salad.

Check the cabbage: After 10 minutes, the cabbage should be slightly wilted and taste slightly salty. Test a leaf by rinsing it under running water and tasting it; it should taste like the leaf absorbed some salt. (If not, let it sit for 10 more minutes and then taste again.) Put the cabbage pieces in a colander or salad spinner, rinse off the salt under running water, then drain the cabbage as well as you can. (It won’t be bone dry, but it shouldn’t be sopping wet.) Let it sit until you are ready to dress the salad.

Step 6Dress the salad: When you’re ready to serve the dish, transfer the cabbage to a serving bowl, add the dressing and use two large spoons (or chopsticks) to toss until coated. Sprinkle the salad with the sesame seeds, again making sure everything is mixed together.

Dress the salad: When you’re ready to serve the dish, transfer the cabbage to a serving bowl, add the dressing and use two large spoons (or chopsticks) to toss until coated. Sprinkle the salad with the sesame seeds, again making sure everything is mixed together.

Step 7Serve the cabbage: You can either serve this family style in a large bowl on a table or you can give each diner a small bowl as part of a larger meal with rice. This is best eaten the day it’s made, as the garlic intensifies in the dressing over time.

Serve the cabbage: You can either serve this family style in a large bowl on a table or you can give each diner a small bowl as part of a larger meal with rice. This is best eaten the day it’s made, as the garlic intensifies in the dressing over time.

Taiwanese flathead cabbage, which has looser, softer leaves than other varieties, is available in Asian markets. If you can’t locate it, Napa cabbage is a good substitute.

This is Lisa Kyung Gross--founder of the League of Kitchens and author of this cookbook. Some people have said that this is too much salt. The salt is RINSED OFF before serving. You salt the cabbage with 3 Tablespoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (the large grains of salt are important--table salt or fine sea salt will make this much too salty), crunch it in with your hands, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then you wash off the salt before dressing it.

One thing that’s missing is the addition of shio kombu — salty seaweed pieces that are typically in this when served in izakayas in Japan. You can get a pack on Amazon or at a local Japanese grocery store. Absolutely essential.

I'm going to add julienned carrots and green onions after marinating and draining, along with some shredded rotisserie chicken. Sounds like a great stand alone salad with any Asian flavors grilled meat, as well! breast in spring roll wrapper

I like salt and I like garlic, but this was way too strong in both flavors. Maybe I didn't use enough cabbage.

I don’t know if my husband messed the is up (he insists he didn’t), but this was awful. Like unsalvageable, toss the whole bowl in the trash, horrible. It was like eating a wet bowl of salt and raw garlic.

I think the rule for substituting table salt for Kosher salt is to reduce the volume by 50%, so that’s what I did when I found I had no Kosher salt. I’ve never had this dish before, but the result seemed to be as described.

Adapted from Aiko Cascio’s recipe, “The League of Kitchens Cookbook” by Lisa Kyung Gross, Rachel Wharton and the women of the League of Kitchens cooking school (Harvest, 2024)

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026314-yamitsuki-addictive-cabbage