Bomdong Bibimbap (Spring Cabbage, Rice and Eggs)

Bomdong Bibimbap (Spring Cabbage, Rice and Eggs)

The main character in this quick fridge-raid bibimbap is bomdong, a tender Korean spring cabbage that might be hard to find outside of the peninsular country (though a Korean grocery store may carry it). In its place, you can use the inner leaves of a napa cabbage. You also can use a sturdy lettuce, such as Little Gem or even romaine. Any of these options will taste great here, as it’s really the spicy, salty-sweet-savory dressing that ties everything together: a glorious tangle that’s at once a salad and a comforting rice dish. This comes together in 15 minutes if you have cooked rice on hand. If you don’t, get the pot started before you make the cabbage.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

2 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons gochugaru (see Tip) or gochujang, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal

12 ounces tender cabbage, such as bomdong or napa, cut into bite-size pieces (4 packed cups)

Vegetable oil, for frying

4 large eggs

2 cups cooked white rice

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, fish sauce, sesame seeds, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the cabbage and toss to coat. Taste and add more sesame oil, gochugaru, fish sauce and salt as desired.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom and crack in the eggs. Fry, repeatedly tilting the pan to spoon the hot oil over the whites until they’re opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Add the rice to the bowl with the cabbage, then top with the fried eggs. Take a spoon and mix everything up, breaking up the eggs, then enjoy right away, while warm.

Tip: Gochugaru, a mild, savory Korean red-pepper powder, ranges from a fine dust to tiny coarse flakes. Both work in this recipe. You can find gochugaru at Korean and other Asian supermarkets and at many grocery stores, as well as online, but if you can’t find it, Aleppo pepper works in a pinch.

The rice should be either freshly steamed and hot; or reheated and at least warm (so it’s soft). Cold rice is hard and not that appetizing, in my opinion. The temperature contrast in this dish is lovely and comforting, like you’re eating a salad but it’s warm or at least room temperature. Sort of like a burrito bowl, you know? Hope that helps :) Love, Eric

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

This winter cabbage salad takes a cue from a classic Vietnamese cabbage and chicken salad and has plenty of kick from lime juice, serrano chiles and fish sauce. Tempeh and peanuts are roasted with the cabbage for varied texture and a hit of protein. Add more vegetables if you like: try halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber or charred green beans. The fish sauce and lime juice are your flavor makers, so don't be afraid to add more of either to suit your taste. The cabbage salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature, perfect for a quick lunch. 

Yield: 4 servings, plus leftovers

1 small green cabbage, about 1 ½ pounds

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 bunch scallions

2 serrano chiles

2 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste (from 3 limes)

1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 medium carrots

One (8-ounce) package soy tempeh

¾ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

Freshly cooked long-grain white rice, such as jasmine, for serving

1 bunch cilantro or mint leaves (or a combination)

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. If you have a convection function, turn it on.

While your oven heats, quarter the cabbage through the core, cut away and discard the core, then slice the cabbage into shreds. Place on a sheet pan and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Squeeze the salt into the cabbage and arrange in one layer. Allow the cabbage to sit while you prep the remaining ingredients. 

Trim the scallions , then cut off the scallion whites and cut them in half lengthwise. Place on top of the cabbage. Chop the scallion greens and place them in a large bowl.

Cut the stems of the chiles off and discard, then quarter them lengthwise. If desired, remove the seeds, then dice the serranos and place them in the bowl with the scallion greens. Mince the garlic cloves, then toss them into the bowl. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Grate the carrots into the bowl, mix and allow to sit while the cabbage roasts. 

Transfer the sheet pan with the cabbage to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and crumble the tempeh on top, then add the peanuts and oil and, using tongs, toss to combine. Return to the oven and roast, tossing once halfway through, until edges of cabbage and scallions are browned and peanuts and tempeh are golden, 15 to 20  minutes. 

To serve, transfer the contents of the sheet pan to the bowl with the dressing, and toss to coat. Taste for fish sauce and lime juice. Scoop a generous amount of rice into bowls and top with a very generous serving of salad. Top with cilantro or mint leaves. The salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature.

Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter

Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter

This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes). Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable. Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce. If you like a jolt of heat, use a thinly sliced bird’s-eye chile in place of the crushed red pepper.

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or safflower

1 pound ground pork

Salt and pepper 

3 scallions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound green or red cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Cooked rice (such as short-grain white or brown rice), for serving

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add pork, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Add scallions, garlic and ginger, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Transfer the pork mixture to a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and golden in spots, 5 minutes.

Stir in the pork mixture (and any accumulated juices), then add fish sauce, lime juice, crushed red pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and mix well. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in cilantro.

Divide pork and cabbage mixture over rice in bowls. Top with more cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Yamitsuki (Addictive Cabbage)

Yamitsuki (Addictive Cabbage)

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

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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

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.

Cut the leaves of the cabbage into rough 1¼-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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tip: 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.

Soy-Glazed Mushroom Rice Bowl:

Soy-Glazed Mushroom Rice Bowl:

Laced with a simple mixture of soy sauce and chile-garlic sauce, this mushroom and cabbage rice bowl comes together quickly, with minimal effort and time. While cremini mushrooms are the easy choice for this rice bowl, shiitakes or other mushrooms work just as well. The silky, soy-flavored mushrooms pair well with the caramelized cabbage. Spoon steaming white rice into a bowl and add piles of this flavorful mushroom and cabbage mixture. Top with meaty, salty sardines in rich olive oil, if you’d like, and serve with additional chile-garlic sauce for extra heat, or opt out of the sardines entirely and keep it vegan. 

• 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

• ½ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1 medium (1½-pound) Napa or green cabbage, cored and chopped

• 3 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1½ teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (preferably Huy Fong), plus more for serving if desired

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• Cooked white rice, for serving

• 3 (4-ounce) cans boneless sardines in oil (skin-on or skinless), optional

• Thinly sliced scallions, for serving

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm up 3 teaspoons of olive oil. Once oil is loose and shimmering, about 1 minute, add the mushrooms and stir sparingly, leaving the mushrooms largely undisturbed. Cook until the mushrooms have softened and reduced down slightly in size, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chopped cabbage and the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil, cover and cook, stirring occasionally. After 2 to 3 minutes, lower the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, soy sauce, chile-garlic sauce and sesame oil. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring as needed, until the cabbage is almost caramelized.

Serve the cabbage-mushroom mixture over rice. Top with sardines, if you like, and scallions. Serve with additional chile-garlic sauce. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Coarsely crushed black peppercorns star in this quick weeknight dish, which is built primarily from pantry staples. Don’t be shy about adding the entire tablespoon of pepper, as it balances out the richness of the beef and adds a lightly spicy bite to the dish. A quick rub of garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cornstarch seasons the beef; the cornstarch helps tenderize the beef and later imparts a silky texture to the sauce. Feel free to marinate the beef up to 8 hours ahead and cook when you're ready. If leftovers remain, tuck them into a crunchy baguette or roll them into a wrap.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed with the bottom of a cup or pan

3 garlic cloves, grated

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Kosher salt

¾ pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced crosswise

3 tablespoons sunflower oil or other neutral oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ head small green cabbage (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, crushed with your fingertips

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Cooked rice, for serving

Add peppercorns, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add sliced steak and toss to coat.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add steak and cook, stirring frequently, until some of the edges are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and toss beef to coat, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl or plate.

Add cabbage to skillet, spread in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute so that some pieces caramelize in the pan. Toss and cook cabbage, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt.

Add steak and any juices back to the skillet, and stir until well combined with the cabbage and warmed through, about 1 minute. Top with toasted sesame seeds and scallions; serve with rice.

TIP: 

Really good recipe! I added more cabbage per suggestions, doubled the spice mix, and added chicken stock thickened with a bit of cornstarch at the end to make a bit of sauce. The chicken stock helped to deglaze the pan a bit too. I didn't have sherry vinegar but apple cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar worked out well. Also, as a tip, putting the beef in the freezer for about 20 minutes will help make the thin slicing easier. Next time I may add sliced red onions to the pan for more flavor.

Not in my experience. Thinly sliced as specified and stir-fried on high heat for about 5 minutes, it will be crispy, starting to brown, and cooked just enough to lose its bitterness and turn a little sweet. It’s my favorite way to cook green cabbage. Try it!

Surprised by some of the lukewarm reviews - one of the best NYT recipes I've made recently. Easy, healthy, and filing, where don't even need the rice. The recipe is written a little strangely and seems to assume people today don't have Asian equipment/ingredients. I used a wok. Use a mortar/pestle for peppercorns and sesame. I've never owned sherry vin., so subbed half rice wine vin. and shaoxing (often see this sub suggested the other way). Re: the great cabbage debate, 5 min was fine for me!