Cabbage Salad with Tahini and Miso
I am fairly certain that if I made this salad once a week from here on in, Gary would be a very happy man. I knew that Ellie Krieger’s Cabbage Salad with Tahini and Miso was going to be a hit as soon as I read about it in the March 19th Food section of The Washington Post. The recipe originally hails from the cookbook “Sesame,” written by Seed + Mill co-founder Rachel Simons. Seed + Mill is a NYC-based company that sells halva, unique seed mixes and the aforementioned tahini.
This dish is Japanese-inspired and features sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and tahini–three iterations of sesame. The sesame oil dressing is nutty and rich, the seeds (along with almonds) lend the salad a nice crunch and the miso provides a creamy, savory base. The result is both rich and light and the perfect accompaniment to just about anything. The next time I make this salad, I am going to top it with seared soy-marinated salmon, sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. So there. Enjoy!
Cabbage Salad with Tahini and Miso
Ingredients
- 3 Tbls rice vinegar
- 2 Tbls toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbls reduced-sodium soy sauce divided
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 c well-stirred tahini
- 1/4 c ice water plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 Tbls shiro (white) miso
- 4 tsp fresh lime juice from 1 lime
- One 2-lb head Napa cabbage halved lengthwise, cored, finely shredded
- 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced
- 1/4 c toasted sliced almond plus 1 Tbls for garnish
- 3 Tbls toasted sesame seeds plus 1 tsp for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, sesame oil, 1 Tbls soy sauce, ginger and sugar, until the sugar dissolves.
- In small bowl, whisk together the tahini, ice water, miso, lime juice and remaining 1 Tbls soy sauce until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add additional water, 1 Tbls at a time, as needed, until you have a spreadable sauce.
- Add cabbage, scallions, 1/4 c almonds, and 3 Tbls sesame seeds to the large bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to coat.
- Dollup the tahini-miso sauce onto a large platter and use the back of the spoon to spread it out towards the edges, leaving a well in the center. Place the salad in a pile on top of the well and over some of the sauce, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbls almonds and 1 tsp sesame seeds, and serve immediately.