Cucumber and cabbage noodle salad with black bean sauce from To Asia, With Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories from the Heart (page 179) by Hetty Lui McKinnon

  • toasted sesame oil
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  • roasted cashew nuts
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  • EYB Comments

    Can substitute green cabbage, purple cabbage, wombok, or bean sprouts for Savoy cabbage; spicy bean paste, the book's "Everything oil", or chilli oil for black bean sauce; and Asian herbs of your choice for coriander leaves. Can use the book's "Homemade black bean sauce".

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute green cabbage, purple cabbage, wombok, or bean sprouts for Savoy cabbage; spicy bean paste, the book's "Everything oil", or chilli oil for black bean sauce; and Asian herbs of your choice for coriander leaves. Can use the book's "Homemade black bean sauce".

  • MsMonsoon on August 04, 2025

    I visited 3 grocery stores and not one carried black bean sauce! I ended up having to use Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce. It was still good but definitely want to try it with the right sauce next time and hope to make my own from the book's recipe. Used instant rice noodles (soak in boiling water for 3 min -- salted water per Jenny and MollyB's recs.) Used 2 regular cucumbers instead of 4 Persian, and red cabbage instead of Savoy. The roasted nuts really add to the dish so don't skip those. This makes a lot and could be a good dish to bring to a picnic or potluck.

  • Apollonia on January 15, 2022

    We enjoyed this a lot with the black bean sauce from the book. Very light and tasty. I probably used double the amount of bean sauce called for (we like fermented beans!) but the recipe made plenty.

  • Jenny on October 13, 2021

    I left off the cucumbers as my husband is not a fan. I used regular pasta instead of rice noodles because I didn't want to search the pantry. I used Napa cabbage and left the pieces longer to add more texture. This is an incredible dish. I always salt my water - whether the recipe calls for it or not - it makes a huge difference. Even soaking rice noodles in hot water - always add a little salt. Next time I'll add a little of the everything oil as Molly B suggested.

  • MollyB on August 03, 2021

    Very nice recipe! We made it with the black bean sauce from the cookbook, with some of the "Everything oil" on top. Make sure to add enough salt - I forgot to salt the noodle water and it would have been better with that added salt. I served the leftovers cold with some leftover chicken, and that worked really well.

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