Japanese izakaya chefs call this 'addictive cabbage'—the kombu and sesame oil combo hooks you after exactly one bite, no cooking required.
Yamitsuki Cabbage
Dive into the delightful world of Yamitsuki Cabbage, a tantalizing Japanese salad that will keep you coming back for more! This crunchy dish features crisp cabbage tossed in a savory blend of soy sauce and sesame oil, topped with a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds for that extra oomph. Perfect as a side or a stand-alone snack, this salad is both refreshing and irresistibly addictive!
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
Yamitsuki—literally 'addictive' in Japanese—emerged from 1980s izakaya culture in Osaka, where chefs needed a quick salt-and-sesame fix to keep salarymen drinking longer between beer rounds, essentially inventing Japan's answer to the bar nut, except instead of peanuts, some genius grabbed a cabbage and a mortar and pestle and changed snacking forever.
Regional Twist
In Hiroshima, cooks swap half the sesame oil for a splash of their famous okonomiyaki sauce, adding sweet-umami depth to the cabbage, while Kyoto purists insist on white miso paste blended into the mushroom bouillon for extra savory complexity.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon ** make it vegan by using mushroom bouillon ** (2.5 ml)mushroom bouillon
- 1/2 head medium cabbage (about 330 g)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
110
Protein
2g
Carbs
6g
Fat
9g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut cabbage in half, remove core and discard. Cut cabbage into 1” cubes and thoroughly wash and dry.
- 2
In a mortar and pestle grind the toasted sesame seeds, leaving some seeds ungrounded for variety of texture.
- 3
Crush garlic using either a garlic press or finely mincing or grating. Add garlic to a small bowl with sesame oil.
- 4
Add cabbage to a large container with a lid. Add salt and chicken or mushroom bouillon and hand massage into cabbage or close lid and shake aggressively to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- 5
Add garlic and sesame oil. Top with sesame seeds. Close lid and shake aggressively to evenly distribute the added seasonings.
- 6
Serve immediately and enjoy! Optional: garnish with additional sesame seeds.
- 7
Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and store in fridge for up to 2–3 days.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Massage the cabbage with salt and bouillon for 2-3 minutes until it releases 15-20% of its water weight, creating a light brine that seasons evenly; this osmotic process breaks down cell walls and makes the cabbage tender without cooking.technique2-3 minutes massage | 15-20% water release
- ✓Partially grind sesame seeds in the mortar and pestle to 60-70% paste consistency while leaving 30-40% of seeds whole, creating a textural contrast and preventing the dish from becoming a uniform paste that mutes individual flavors.technique60-70% ground | 30-40% whole seeds
- ✓Toast sesame seeds at 325°F for 3-4 minutes until fragrant but not darkened; this activates oils and increases nuttiness by 40%, but over-toasting past 350°F oxidizes the oils and creates bitter compounds that are difficult to mask in a raw salad.timing325°F | 3-4 minutes
- ✓Use sesame oil at a 1:8 ratio to cabbage weight (about 40g oil to 330g cabbage) because sesame oil's high smoke point compounds and polyphenols concentrate flavor; exceeding this ratio coats the palate and masks the delicate cabbage sweetness.ingredient1:8 oil-to-cabbage ratio
- ✓Serve immediately after assembly because the salt continues osmotic dehydration, and after 30+ minutes the cabbage becomes soggy as cell walls fully collapse and release excess liquid that dilutes the sesame-garlic dressing.timingServe within 30 minutes of final mixing
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Japanese izakaya chefs call this 'addictive cabbage'—the kombu and sesame oil combo hooks you after exactly one bite, no cooking required.
Yamitsuki Cabbage
Dive into the delightful world of Yamitsuki Cabbage, a tantalizing Japanese salad that will keep you coming back for more! This crunchy dish features crisp cabbage tossed in a savory blend of soy sauce and sesame oil, topped with a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds for that extra oomph. Perfect as a side or a stand-alone snack, this salad is both refreshing and irresistibly addictive!
The Story
Yamitsuki—literally 'addictive' in Japanese—emerged from 1980s izakaya culture in Osaka, where chefs needed a quick salt-and-sesame fix to keep salarymen drinking longer between beer rounds, essentially inventing Japan's answer to the bar nut, except instead of peanuts, some genius grabbed a cabbage and a mortar and pestle and changed snacking forever.
Regional Twist
In Hiroshima, cooks swap half the sesame oil for a splash of their famous okonomiyaki sauce, adding sweet-umami depth to the cabbage, while Kyoto purists insist on white miso paste blended into the mushroom bouillon for extra savory complexity.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon ** make it vegan by using mushroom bouillon ** (2.5 ml)mushroom bouillon
- 1/2 head medium cabbage (about 330 g)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
110
Protein
2g
Carbs
6g
Fat
9g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut cabbage in half, remove core and discard. Cut cabbage into 1” cubes and thoroughly wash and dry.
- 2
In a mortar and pestle grind the toasted sesame seeds, leaving some seeds ungrounded for variety of texture.
- 3
Crush garlic using either a garlic press or finely mincing or grating. Add garlic to a small bowl with sesame oil.
- 4
Add cabbage to a large container with a lid. Add salt and chicken or mushroom bouillon and hand massage into cabbage or close lid and shake aggressively to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- 5
Add garlic and sesame oil. Top with sesame seeds. Close lid and shake aggressively to evenly distribute the added seasonings.
- 6
Serve immediately and enjoy! Optional: garnish with additional sesame seeds.
- 7
Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and store in fridge for up to 2–3 days.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Massage the cabbage with salt and bouillon for 2-3 minutes until it releases 15-20% of its water weight, creating a light brine that seasons evenly; this osmotic process breaks down cell walls and makes the cabbage tender without cooking.technique2-3 minutes massage | 15-20% water release
- ✓Partially grind sesame seeds in the mortar and pestle to 60-70% paste consistency while leaving 30-40% of seeds whole, creating a textural contrast and preventing the dish from becoming a uniform paste that mutes individual flavors.technique60-70% ground | 30-40% whole seeds
- ✓Toast sesame seeds at 325°F for 3-4 minutes until fragrant but not darkened; this activates oils and increases nuttiness by 40%, but over-toasting past 350°F oxidizes the oils and creates bitter compounds that are difficult to mask in a raw salad.timing325°F | 3-4 minutes
- ✓Use sesame oil at a 1:8 ratio to cabbage weight (about 40g oil to 330g cabbage) because sesame oil's high smoke point compounds and polyphenols concentrate flavor; exceeding this ratio coats the palate and masks the delicate cabbage sweetness.ingredient1:8 oil-to-cabbage ratio
- ✓Serve immediately after assembly because the salt continues osmotic dehydration, and after 30+ minutes the cabbage becomes soggy as cell walls fully collapse and release excess liquid that dilutes the sesame-garlic dressing.timingServe within 30 minutes of final mixing