Recipe: Roasted Chinese Cabbage with Mustard & Lime Vinaigrette
An ode to the Chinese cabbage — sometimes known as napa cabbage (napa meaning ‘leaf’ in Japanese). Humble, cheap, ubiquitous and hardy. And yet, much venerated in Chinese culture. You can read my Instagram post for a primer on why: the significance and wordplay of the Chinese word for ‘cabbage’, plus a visual showcase some fine sculptured jade specimens.
Chinese cabbage tastes great when simply stir fried or in kimchi — though the latter requires some patience. I’ve been enjoying it oven roasted; the slight char from the grill adds smoky depth, while a zingy vinaigrette will lift it back up.
Let me know if you try this recipe and share your results on Instagram with #CelestialPeach.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 large Chinese cabbage, quartered vertically
1 tbsp of olive oil, more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
For the lime vinaigrette:
Juice of one fresh lime
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp caster sugar
~ 1/2 cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Lay out the cabbage wedges, cut side up, on a foiled baking tray. Season with the salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Roasted in an oven pre-heated to 200C for around 40 minutes. Check that the thickest part of the each wedge is cooked, by inserting a knife into the centre.
To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk all the wet ingredients vigorously. Add water if the consistency is too thick.
