Dou Dou (豆豆)
This cold spiced napa cabbage salad is a revelation — no cooking required, just fresh crunchy cabbage tossed in a fragrant chili-garlic dressing that will have you reaching for seconds. 这道凉拌大白菜完全不用煮，只需把爽脆的白菜拌上香辣的酱汁，就能让你不知不觉吃下一大碗饭。
📹 Watch the Recipe
🥘 Why This Recipe Works
Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage) is naturally sweet, juicy, and incredibly crunchy — the perfect canvas for a bold, aromatic dressing. The salt-sweat technique draws out excess water, concentrating the cabbage’s natural sweetness while keeping it perfectly crisp. A quick bloom of hot oil over garlic, chili, and spices releases their full fragrance, creating a dressing that’s simultaneously spicy, tangy, and nutty from the crushed peanuts.
This is a staple of Chinese home cooking — the kind of dish every family makes differently. Some add shredded carrot, others toss in glass noodles. The beauty is its flexibility: once you master the technique, you can adapt it with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
5 ingredients, no stove, 15 minutes — the ultimate quick vegetable side dish.
🛒 Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Napa cabbage (大白菜) | 800 g | roughly chopped |
| Salt (盐) | 1 tbsp | for sweating |
| Soy sauce (酱油) | 2 tsp | light soy |
| Balsamic vinegar (乌醋) | 2 tsp | or Chinese black vinegar |
| Chili flake (干辣椒碎) | 1 tbsp | adjust to taste |
| Chili powder (辣椒粉) | 1 tsp | Korean gochugaru works well |
| Sugar (糖) | 1 tsp | balances the heat |
| Fresh coriander (芫荽/香菜) | 10 g | roughly chopped |
| Garlic (蒜) | ½ tbsp | minced or paste |
| Crushed peanuts (花生碎) | 1 tbsp | for garnish |
| Hot oil (热油) | 2 tbsp | neutral oil like grapeseed |
👨🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Salt the Cabbage
- Roughly chop the napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
- Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt.
- Toss well and let sit for 5 minutes — the salt draws out excess water.
Step 2: Squeeze Dry
- After 5 minutes, squeeze the cabbage firmly to remove as much water as possible.
- Rinse briefly with cold water to remove excess salt, then squeeze dry again.
- This step is crucial for the perfect texture — don’t skip it.
Step 3: Prepare the Dressing
- In a small heatproof bowl, combine soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, chili flake, chili powder, sugar, coriander, and minced garlic.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil until shimmering hot (about 30 seconds in a microwave or small pan).
- Pour the hot oil over the seasoning mixture — it will sizzle and bloom the aromatics.
- Add crushed peanuts and stir to combine.
Step 4: Toss and Serve
- Pour the dressing over the squeezed cabbage.
- Toss well until every piece is coated.
- Serve immediately for the crunchiest texture, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for deeper flavor.
Ingredients
Method
Salt the Cabbage
Squeeze Dry
Prepare Dressing
Toss and Serve
Notes
Adjust the chili level to your preference. This dish pairs beautifully with rice or noodles and keeps well in the fridge for 2 days (though best eaten fresh).
Ingredients
Method
Notes
💡 Tips & Substitutions
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Too salty? | Rinse the cabbage more thoroughly after sweating, or reduce the initial salt to ¾ tbsp. |
| No balsamic vinegar? | Use Chinese black vinegar (镇江香醋) or rice vinegar with a tiny pinch of sugar. |
| Want more texture? | Add shredded carrot, cucumber ribbons, or soaked glass noodles. |
| Too spicy? | Skip the chili powder and use only mild chili flakes, or reduce both to half. |
📊 Nutrition
Per serving (based on 4 servings): ~85 cal | 3g protein | 5g fat | 8g carbs | 3g fiber | 420mg sodium
🌱 Why This Dish
凉拌大白菜 (Cold Spiced Cabbage) is a classic Chinese cold dish that showcases the beauty of simplicity. Napa cabbage (大白菜) is one of the most widely used vegetables in Chinese cooking — prized for its sweetness, juiciness, and ability to absorb flavors. This no-cook preparation is especially popular in summer when light, refreshing dishes are preferred. The technique of salt-sweating vegetables (腌制) is a traditional Chinese method for improving texture and flavor concentration. This recipe comes from 家常素 Irene Yong, a Malaysian-Chinese vegan channel that specializes in accessible, home-style plant-based dishes.
