芥末墩
A classic Beijing winter appetizer. The fiery kick of mustard wakes up the palate, paired with crisp and sweet napa cabbage hearts. Refreshing and palate-cleansing.
Ingredients
8 items- Napa cabbage hearts 400g
- Yellow mustard powder 2 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar 2 tablespoons
- White sugar 1 teaspoon
- Salt 1/2 teaspoon
- Sesame oil 1 tablespoon
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Boiling water 3 tablespoons
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Wash napa cabbage hearts and cut into 5cm sections. Boil water, blanch cabbage for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to ice water; drain well.
In a small bowl, combine mustard powder with 3 tablespoons of boiling water, stir into a paste. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to develop pungency.
To the mustard paste, add rice vinegar, sugar, salt, ginger, and sesame oil. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Squeeze the drained cabbage sections gently to remove excess moisture. Arrange neatly in a deep plate or bowl.
Pour the mustard dressing evenly over the cabbage pieces, making sure each piece is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Remove from fridge, transfer to serving plate, garnish with toasted sesame seeds or chopped scallions. Serve cold.
Tips
Key: Use boiling water to activate mustard and steam it covered to maximize heat; blanching then shocking in ice water keeps cabbage crunchy. Marinate longer for deeper flavor — best made a day ahead.
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