Ginger Salad

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

Inspired by the salads at Burma Superstar in San Francisco and Mister Mao in New Orleans, punchy and crispy slaw-like salad gets its piquancy from a combination of fresh and pickled ginger. Fresh cilantro and spicy jalapeño echo the bright flavors of ginger, while peanuts, sesame seeds, and fried garlic and chickpeas add crunch and deep, nutty flavors.

Ginger two ways is the real star here. Sweet, tangy pickled ginger — the same kind served with sushi — is paired with zippy matchsticks of fresh ginger. Red and green cabbage are a great choice for this slaw because they are hearty, hold up to the fish sauce, and let the ginger shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pickled ginger?

In Japanese cuisine, pickled ginger is a type of tsukemono, or preserved vegetable, known as gari. You’ve probably seen it served alongside sushi, where it works to cleanse the palate between each bite. To make it, peeled ginger is sliced very thinly and pickled in a solution of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The brine is ideal for storage and can also be used in dressings and sauces.

Ginger’s flavor comes from the presence of gingerol, a pungent chemical compound in the same family as capsaicin, found in chiles, and piperine, an alkaloid present in black pepper.
How do you toast sesame seeds?

You can often find sesame seeds pre-toasted but if they are raw, simply place them in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook until lightly toasted. Be sure to not walk away from the pan as they can go from toasted to burnt quickly.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

“Frying the garlic creates a softer garlic flavor and a garlic oil for the salad,” says F&W test cook Julia Levy. “Rinsing the onion removes sulfur compounds and softens the flavor and pungency.” Lime and fish sauce also pair well together, with the subtle floral notes of the lime softening the strength of the fish sauce.

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Ingredients

Fried Garlic

4 large garlic cloves, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons canola oil

Salad

4 cups shaved green cabbage (from 1 small head)
1 cup shaved red cabbage (from 1 small head)
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 cup thinly shaved red onion, rinsed under cold water and patted dry
2 mini sweet peppers or 1 large Anaheim chile, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup firmly packed pickled ginger, thinly sliced lengthwise, plus more to taste
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño chile (from 1 small chile)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup fried chickpeas (such as Biena Sea Salt Roasted Chickpeas), coarsely crumbled
1/3 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds or 2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seed kernels
2 tablespoons pickled ginger brine, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce (such as Red Boat)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Make the fried garlic

Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan. Cook over medium until bubbles form around garlic, about 1 minute; decrease heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is light blond, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and continue to stir. (Garlic will keep browning.) When garlic is golden brown, pour through a strainer set over a heatproof bowl. Let garlic cool on a paper towel; reserve garlic oil.
Make the salad

Toss together cabbages, carrots, onion, sweet peppers, pickled and fresh ginger, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Add cilantro, fried chickpeas, peanuts, sesame seeds, and fried garlic; toss to combine.
Stir together pickled ginger brine, lime juice, fish sauce, and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle brine mixture over salad, adding reserved garlic oil to taste, if desired. Taste and add additional pickled ginger or pickled ginger brine, if desired. Serve immediately.