Yamitsuki Kyabetsu: Gyu-Kaku’s Addicting Cabbage Salad

Packed with plenty of vitamins C and U, cabbage is known for being effective in cancer prevention.

We often use the vegetable “Kyabetsu (キャベツ)” as the main ingredient in dishes, such as salads and sautés, just like people in other countries do.

Additionally, Japanese home cooks commonly make pickles with cabbage or Kyabetsu.

Addicting Yamitsuki Cabbage Salad

When it comes to cabbage pickles offered by Japanese restaurants, I think the one by Gyu-Kaku (牛角) called Yamitsuki Kyabetsu (病み付きキャベツ: Addicting Cabbage) is the best recognized. 

Gyu-Kaku is the largest Japanese Yakiniku restaurant chain running more than 700 Yakiniku BBQ restaurants, which include overseas locations.

Of course, in my city, there are some Gyu-Kaku restaurants where I sometimes enjoy the Yakiniku grill.

Every time I go there, I order the Yamitsuki Cabbage salad with various portions of meat.

The dish is yummy, and I have loved it for a long time because of the addictive umami taste from aromatic sesame oil and other seasonings such as salt.

But, although it may be a matter of course, most people don’t know how the restaurant prepares it.

A Recipe that Recreates the Taste of Gyu-Kaku

Image & Recipe: Cookpad.com

Despite that, a woman copied it, created a recipe that recreates the salad’s addictive taste, and posted it on the popular Japanese recipe site Cookpad.com.

Later, her recipe gained tremendous popularity and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Curious about that recipe?

Last, let me translate the original instructions into English for people who answer yes to this question.

Instructions

1. As preparation, cut the cabbage coarsely.
2. Then, put all the ingredients in a plastic zipper bag.
3. Mix it up by shaking the bag (But don’t rub the cabbage strongly).
4. Now it’s ready. Enjoy the addicting cabbage salad!