Mustard cabbage rolls

Known for its refreshing taste, this salad-like dish is a must-have on Beijing tables in winter. It's often served at festival banquets to balance out the greasy taste of meat dishes. While many traditional Beijing dishes are lost to history, mustard cabbage rolls have managed to survive, perhaps because the recipe is so simple: Cut tender Chinese cabbage leaves into sections; steam them with a topping of powdered mustard, salt, sugar and vinegar; and roll them up before serving. As a folk saying goes, it “can both inspire refined scholars and feed starving people in poverty.”