Yamitsuki («Addictive») Cabbage

Meet your new favorite veggie side dish.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 10 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Have you ever encountered a dish so deceptively simple, yet so mind-blowingly delicious that you find yourself thinking about it days later? This is what happened to me when I first tried yamitsuki cabbage (also called shio kyabetsu or izakaya-style cabbage). The name itself translates to "addictive cabbage," and oh boy does it live up to its name!

Requiring just a handful of ingredients and a single bowl or mortar and pestle, this dish is a minimalist's dream. Despite its simplicity, every bite is flavor-packed and reminds me of my trips across Tokyo and visits to its lively izakayas, Japan's iconic gastropubs, where after-work chatter merges with the sizzle of grills and the clinking of sake glasses.

Among the many dishes I’ve tried at izakayas, this addictive cabbage left an indelible mark. Back home, I’ve recreated it for my neighbors, who couldn’t stop raving about this dish and how their kids devoured it. Even my dog, Panda, couldn’t resist a taste.

What Kind of Cabbage To Use

The secret to this dish is the glutamate and umami-packed paste dressing. Any crispy leafy green vegetable can serve as the paste’s vessel. With cabbages, you can’t go wrong with tender and sweet standard green cabbage. But if you’re into texture, use red or purple cabbage for its extra crispness. I don’t recommend napa cabbage, as it’s a bit bitter and spicy, and better reserved for kimchi making.

Making the Flavor-Packed Dressing

As for flavoring, the chicken or mushroom bouillon powder, toasted sesame oil, and sesame seeds are non-negotiables. The rice wine brings everything together, and the brown sugar balances all the saltiness. As for the salt, you can substitute it with shio koji sauce, soy sauce, or even white miso.

How To Make Yamitsuki Cabbage

Making this dish is a breeze, and will probably take you less than ten minutes from start to finish. Begin by washing and chopping your cabbage into bite-sized pieces, then grind your dressing ingredients into a paste. Finally, rub the aromatic paste into your cabbage and serve with any optional toppings. And really, that’s it!

What To Serve With Yamitsuki Cabbage

If you’re wondering what to serve with your yamitsuki cabbage, I recommend pairing this quick and easy flavorful veggie side dish with other izakaya favorites like yakitori, yakiniku, tempura, miso soup, and Japanese curry or ramen. Of course, this dish can always be enjoyed on its own, as a snack, like cabbage chips!

So whether you’ve meandered through the vibrant streets of Tokyo or just yearn for a hint of the izakaya at home, this dish is bound to become an instant classic. I make it whenever I have a craving, and these cravings come frequently, though I might swap out the cabbage for snow peas or even kale. For me, it's not just about the food; it's a cherished taste memory, a burst of flavors that transport me back to those unforgettable Tokyo evenings every time.

Tips for Making Yamitsuki Cabbage

Make it vegan—To keep this a vegan dish, use mushroom bouillon instead of chicken bouillon powder, and use vegan furikake.
Skip the mortar and pestle—If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can hand mix everything in a bowl, using a fork to mash the garlic (or grate it with a Microplane). Crush the sesame seeds in a zip-top plastic bag with a rolling pin or even a glass bottle. I don’t recommend using a food processor to make the seasoning paste unless you’re making a larger amount.
Try different kinds of cabbage—I recommend experimenting with different types of cabbage to find your favorite. My family loved the green and purple cabbage mix.

Make Ahead

This is a very simple dish, so there’s not much to do in advance, but you can wash, dry, and cut your cabbage a day ahead of time and keep it cold in the refrigerator. I find it easy to wash the cabbage in a colander under running water after chopping it all up.

The sauce paste can also be made a day ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon chicken or mushroom bouillon powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
1 dash monosodium glutamate (MSG)
3/4 to 1 pound green or purple cabbage (or a mix), chopped into bite-sized pieces, washed, and dried
Optional toppings: Roasted white or black sesame seeds, chili threads, furikake, chopped dried red chiles, toasted sesame oil, freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Grind 4 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sake, 1 teaspoon chicken or mushroom bouillon powder, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 dash MSG together using a mortar and pestle, until you achieve a smooth, aromatic paste. Go ahead, give it a taste, and adjust as needed.
Combine 3/4 to 1 pound chopped green or purple cabbage (or a mix) and your freshly-ground seasoning paste in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub the mixture into the cabbage, ensuring each piece is well coated. Alternatively, add the cabbage and the paste mixture into a sealable storage bag or container. Seal it tight and shake until the cabbage is thoroughly coated.
Transfer the cabbage to serving bowls, or serve it in the mixing bowl. You might notice a bit of liquid pooling in the bottom of the bowl; this is normal. It’s from the salt in the paste drawing water out of the cabbage. This liquid is packed with flavor, but feel free to discard it.
Garnish the cabbage with your choice of optional toppings. I recommend starting with extra sesame seeds and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. For a pop of color and a spicy kick, add chili threads or chopped dried red chiles, or both.

How To Store

Store your yamitsuki cabbage (or shio kyabetsu) in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within two days.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Make some substitutions—You can substitute the salt with a teaspoon or two of your favorite soy sauce. Alternatively, if you have shio koji sauce, add in a teaspoon or two instead of the salt. It’s fine to substitute Shaoxing wine for the sake. If you don’t have toasted sesame oil, dark sesame oil would do.
Add some acidity—Food always benefits from a little acidity, so if you’d like a bit of tang, feel free to squirt fresh lemon juice over the cabbage, or add a teaspoon of rice vinegar to the mix. If you have access to yuzu juice, even better!
Play with adding sweetness—Since the dish is overall savory and the defining texture is the crunch and crisp from the cabbage leaves, you can try mixing in some dried cranberries or raisins for a touch of sweetness and contrast in texture.
Shred the cabbage instead—Rather than chopping the cabbage into bite-sized pieces, you can julienne or shred it instead.
Use the dressing with other veggies—While I love using this dressing paste with cabbage, it’s also lovely with snow peas, kale, and other crunchy leafy greens.
Sprinkle in some panko—Some croutons or panko can help soak up the water drawn out from the cabbages, and add extra texture.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	123
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	11%
Saturated Fat 1g	6%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 262mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 43mg	217%
Calcium 101mg	8%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 257mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.