Refreshing Sweet & Sour Cabbage Salad: Easy Recipe

Sweet and sour cabbage salad is a refreshing, easy-to-make, and delightful dish, perfect for hot summer days. With its characteristic sweet and sour flavor, this salad is not only delicious but also stimulates the appetite, leaving you feeling refreshed. Join “Sổ Tay Món Ăn” (Recipe Handbook) as we discover how to make a simple sweet and sour cabbage salad that tastes just like a restaurant’s, so you can enjoy this dish at home without getting tired of it.

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1. Ingredients for Sweet & Sour Cabbage Salad

• 2 chicken thighs (500g)
• 300g cabbage (can use purple or white cabbage)
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 lime
• 1 chili
• 1 ginger knob
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 sprigs of basil, Vietnamese coriander
• A few sprigs of cilantro
• Seasonings: Good fish sauce, white sugar, ground pepper, vinegar, salt…

Note: For a delicious sweet and sour cabbage salad, it’s recommended to use chicken thighs for their slight crispness, chewiness, and firm texture. If chicken thighs are not available, you can use chicken breast, but breast meat is leaner and may result in a slightly drier texture.

Shredded chicken thigh meat

2. How to Make Sweet & Sour Cabbage Salad

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Thighs

• Rub the chicken thighs with coarse salt once, then rinse thoroughly. Continue to rub them again with a mixture of salt and vinegar, then rinse thoroughly with water.
• Place the washed chicken thighs and 1 smashed ginger knob in a pot on the stove. Boil for about 10 – 15 minutes until the chicken thighs are cooked through. Use a skewer to pierce the chicken; if no red liquid runs out, the chicken is done.
• Immediately remove the chicken thighs and plunge them into ice water to firm up the meat and maintain its crispness. Once the chicken thighs have cooled completely, remove them and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken Thighs

• Place the shredded chicken thighs in a separate bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, then mix well and marinate for 15 – 20 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare the Cabbage and Mixed Vegetables for the Salad

• Shred the cabbage finely, then wash thoroughly and drain. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the cabbage and mix well, squeezing gently. Let it sit for about 10 minutes for the salt to penetrate and the cabbage to soften, then squeeze out all the excess water from the cabbage.

Shredded white and purple cabbage

• Peel and wash the onion, then slice it thinly. Place the onion in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, mix very well, and let it sit for 15 – 20 minutes to reduce the pungency of the onion. Afterward, squeeze out any liquid released from the onion.

Onion soaked in vinegar and sugar

• Peel and wash the carrot, then julienne it finely.
• Pick, wash, and finely chop the Vietnamese coriander, basil, and cilantro.
• Wash the chili and mince it. Peel and mince the garlic.

Step 4: Make the Sweet & Sour Dressing for the Cabbage Salad

• In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of filtered water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then add the minced garlic and chili and stir well.

Sweet and sour fish sauce dressing for salad

Step 5: Mix the Sweet & Sour Cabbage Salad

• Place the squeezed cabbage, onion, carrot, Vietnamese coriander, basil, and cilantro in a large bowl. Gradually pour the salad dressing over the vegetables, put on gloves, and mix thoroughly by hand to allow the dressing to absorb into the cabbage.

Mixed cabbage salad

3. Completing the Sweet & Sour Cabbage Salad

Once mixed, the sweet and sour cabbage salad can be served immediately after 5 – 7 minutes. The salad has a harmonious blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, yet it is very refreshing and easy to eat. The salad won’t get watery, and the onion won’t be pungent, maintaining its appealing crispness.

Finished sweet and sour cabbage salad

You can add some roasted peanuts to the chicken salad for an appealing nutty texture.

Sweet and sour cabbage salad topped with peanuts

This sweet and sour cabbage salad is delicious and easy to make, with an enticing mix of sour, sweet, and spicy flavors.

Delicious sweet and sour cabbage salad

You can also enjoy sweet and sour cabbage salad with porridge for a delightful meal.

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4. Conclusion

Sweet and sour cabbage salad is a simple yet delicious dish, suitable for family meals or small gatherings. With this detailed guide from “Sổ Tay Món Ăn,” you can easily make this salad at home, ensuring both hygiene and perfect flavor. Give it a try now to experience the refreshing and appealing taste of sweet and sour cabbage salad!

If you love other salads, refer to how to make green ambarella salad with dried shrimp at Sổ Tay Món Ăn to enrich your family’s menu.