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If you ever decide to have an Asian flavored dinner party, or simply get tired of a mayo based sweet slaw that every picnic offers, then you are ready to try my Oriental Slaw with Healthy Dressing!
This slaw is EASY, QUICK, FULL of well-balanced flavor, CRUNCHY, and most important it is HEALTHY!
When your food is fresh and full of color (naturally), you can be pretty sure it’s healthy! This Oriental slaw recipe is chock full of nutrients from fresh cabbage to the onion, celery, carrots and herbs.
You are probably thinking, "How is it that cabbage isn't healthy and isn't every variety of slaw made with cabbage not a winner for your body?" I wish this would be true. Every time you grab a bag of pre-shredded slaw in the supermarket, and it contains two attached baggies, one with dressing and one with crunchy stuff, you are not eating something that is truly healthy. Please take a second and READ the ingredients listed and see how cabbage can be easily turned into something not so good for you. Plus, pre-shredded cabbage loses all its juices before it is even packaged!
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS ORIENTAL CRUNCHY SLAW?
Here’s a rundown of the GOOD-FOR-YOU ingredients:
CABBAGE: This vegetable is full of nutrients that the body needs to be at optimal health, including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Cabbage also contains a lot of fiber, which helps with digestion. I'm from Ukraine, and cabbage as well as potatoes are pretty much staples in our daily diet.
If I have to pick one vegetable to live on, cabbage would be my first choice, why?
Because it can be eaten raw, cooked (braised, grilled, baked, stir-fry, etc.), or even fermented.
CARROTS: I love carrots in my slaw so don't skip it. I think besides the color it gives a nice crunch and sweetness. You can't find a day in my fridge without carrots, but I'm not a big fan of baby carrots.
BELL PEPPER: A juicy ingredient that is not only sweet, crunchy, colorful but has so much vitamin C, that I was not able to skip it.
CELERY: Another "good for you" ingredient, that some of you may not often see in a salad, but I love adding it to slaw and salads.
ONION: I usually go with red onions in salads. Making slaw a little bit ahead of time before serving allows that onion punch to subside.
HERBS: Go wild with herbs; try a new combo, why not? Especially this time of the year when fresh herbs are bountiful, make use of them as much as possible. Parsley, chives, scallions, and cilantro are what I used in my slaw, but make your own combo: Thai basil, mint or maybe a fresh savory, regardless everything will provide vibrant green color to your slaw as well as health benefits do not mention the aromas too.
CRUNCH: Any nuts (cashew, peanuts, slivered almonds), seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower). Add some dried fruit just for fun, why not?
Also try dried shrimp! It will add more crunch, more umami flavor and more protein!
A FEW WORDS ON DRESSING
Before we begin, let's talk about the dressing and how delicious it is. One of my friends wanted to drink it off the plate after she finished her slaw. Yummy!
It is very healthy, provides you with good fat, is slightly sweet, tangy and has plenty of umami flavor. Every component that goes in the dressing is a superfood, especially the black bean garlic sauce. The reason why I really like this sauce is because the black beans are fermented. It's a perfectly delicious way to eat more ferments on a daily basis. Here is another recipe that features this ingredient, Spring Rolls with Shrimp and Probiotic Peanut Butter Sauce + Bonus Old Bay Seasoning
HOW TO USE THIS SLAW?
Using this slaw is simple. We love adding it to all Asian flavored dishes, serve it with chicken, fish, or as a side for with stir fried rice, or eat with soup and a sandwich for lunch. Try these recipes:
NOTE:
If you are planning to serve immediately, thinly slice all the veggies, if you are making it ahead of time, slice thicker, so your cabbage will maintain some sort of crunch after sitting in the marinade (dressing). Also, you can make everything a day or two ahead of time but wait to mix the dressing and veggies to prevent the veggies from getting soggy.
Let's make it...
Prep time: 5 minutes
Make time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Author: Inna of innichkachef.com
Servings: 10 people (or more depending how you serve)
Ingredients for the slaw:
1 small head of cabbage
1 big carrot
1 stick of celery
1/4 of big red onion
1 bell pepper
1 cup chopped herbs (I used parsley, cilantro, scallions, chives)
Ingredients for the dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons avocado oil
juice from 1 lime and zest
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon black bean garlic paste.
2 tablespoons plain rice vinegar
2 tablespoons raw local honey
pinch of pink salt
Ingredients for the crunchy topping:
1/4 cup dried shrimp
1/4 cup dried black currants
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Directions
First gather all ingredients, wash peel and paper dry them.
Using a mandolin, slice all veggies and place them in one big bowl.
Chop your herbs and add to the bowl.
To make the dressing, simply add all the ingredients in a blender cup then pulse a few times or until everything is completely incorporated. This dressing will stay fresh in your fridge easily for two weeks due to the fermented ingredients being the soy sauce and bean paste, which allows you the opportunity to use it for other dishes and salads!
Pour over the veggies and herbs. Using kitchen tongs mix all veggies and herbs together by gently tossing until fully incorporated.
Top with crunchy toppings and ENJOY!!!
I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon, or Pinterest.
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