As the old adage goes “we eat with our eyes first” - so, it’s time to indulge in my crunchy, colourful and Vibrant Asian Slaw with Peanut and Sesame Dressing. This slaw is loaded with hearty vegetables, including Napa and purple cabbage, kohlrabi, carrots, red pepper, edamame, green onions and cilantro, and is topped off with sesame seeds, that give it that extra crunch. It’s then given some special treatment when it’s tossed in my Peanut and Sesame Dressing, which is full of umami goodness and hits all the right notes - sweet, savoury, salty, nutty, zesty, and spicy. Who could resist?!
This dish can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a main. Top it with your protein of choice - fish, shrimp, chicken or pork and you’ve got yourself a salad that is hearty and can go the distance. It’s perfect for a weekday lunch or dinner and would be gorgeous sitting atop your table at your next social gathering, party or summer BBQ! Enjoy!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 - 8
Ingredients:
Vibrant Asian Slaw
4 cups Napa cabbage, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 cups purple cabbage, cored and cut into quarters and thinly sliced
2 cups carrots, grated (approx. 3 medium carrots)
1 1/3 cup kohlrabi, peeled, cored and cut into thin matchsticks (See Notes below)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups edamame, cooked and cooled to room temperature
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Additional sesame seeds, as garnish
Peanut and Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
1 Tbsp peanut butter
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced (approx. 2 cloves garlic)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Sriracha
1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Ingredients:
To a large salad or mixing bowl, add the vinegar, oil, soy sauce (or tamari), peanut butter, lime juice and zest, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, honey, Sriracha and sesame seeds and whisk until fully incorporated.
Then, add the Napa and purple cabbage, carrots, kohlrabi, pepper, edamame, green onions and cilantro and, using tongs, mix until fully incorporated. Garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Short on Time: Let your trusty food processor do the heavy lifting. The grating and/or shredding blade or attachment will allow you to grate the carrots and kohlrabi while shredding the Napa and purple cabbage.
Can’t Find Kohlrabi: If you can’t find kohlrabi at your local grocer or fruit market, don’t fret! You can simply omit it from the recipe or replace it with broccoli stems. Just peel the outer layer of the broccoli stem (it’s too tough and chewy) and cut the inner flesh into thin matchsticks.