A crunchy cabbage slaw is one of my favorite salads throughout the winter and early spring, and a restaurant here in town makes what is perhaps my favorite slaw: a deceptively simple mix of cabbage, peanuts, and rice vinegar with oil. It's all in how you cut the cabbage: their mix is light and feathery, delicate and yet satisfying at the same time. This is my attempt to imitate it, and it's also a basic element in one of my favorite meals for a crowd. I'll give you the other half of that meal a little later today.
Recipe: Crunchy Peanut Slaw
Crunchy Peanut Slaw
1 big bowl of slaw, serves at least 8
1 medium head green cabbage, outer leaves removed
1 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 bunch green onions
1 cup chopped cilantro (about two big handfuls unchopped)
Salt and pepper
Dressing:
1/2 cup light oil, like canola
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more, to taste)
Shred the cabbage very finely. The fineness of the shredded cabbage is really what makes this salad; you want it in in threads, almost, and with the threads chopped into bite-size lengths. Toss with the peanuts in a large bowl. Chop the scallions, including the green and white parts. Toss the scallions and chopped cilantro with the cabbage, seasoning very lightly with salt and pepper.
Whisk the dressing until emulsified, then taste and adjust to your own preferences of sweetness and saltiness.
Toss with the cabbage. Garnish with a few more peanuts and serve.
Related: 11 Winter Salads to Eat Right Now
(Images: Faith Durand)
Tags
Salad, Vegetable, Healthy, Vegetarian, Quick, Keeps Well, Vegan, peanut, coleslaw, slawRelated Links
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yum! this sounds soo good and fresh!
view maggie (p/c)'s profile
Yum! I actually made a version of this last night. I use cabbage, cilantro, grated carrot and a grated watermelon radish for the salad and then toss with 1 T mayo, 1 T apple cider vinegar and 1/4 squeezed lime. I sauteed some yellow onion with jalapeno peppers, added black beans and shrimp and made a super fast, delicious dinner!
I've also made this salad as a side with fish tacos and it's super.
view fizzyizzy's profile
my family makes this all the time...its AWESOME. =)
view sassysprite's profile
I've made something similar with some pan fried dumplings on top. Very good!
view heather lauren's profile
I made this tonight, with a few alterations. I had slivered almonds instead of peanuts and I left out the canola oil (it seemed plenty dressed without it) and sugar (trying to avoid it). it was very tasty and the bf loved it, as well!
view foodefafa's profile
This looks very similar to the crunchy noodle salad I make from the back of the fired noodle packet. Only I just olive oil, wombok instead of regular cabbage and almonds instead of peanuts.
Yum!
view alicee's profile
I made this tonight with pecans and hazelnuts instead of peanuts. It was delicious. And there were only two of us eating, so there's more for tomorrow.
view Joan A.'s profile
I made this over the weekend and have really enjoyed it the last couple days. Not exactly like Northstar's (I assume that's the version you were trying to replicate), but really quite close. I guess that just gives me a reason to go to Northstar this week to see if I can figure out the difference and tweak the recipe next time I try it at home.
view jon (in Columbus)'s profile
@jon, oh yes, you guessed it. If you ever figure out the difference let me know, please! I am totally gunning for the Beechwold salad, too, although I would prefer to just go there and eat it. :-)
view faith's profile
It would be better if I use cashew nuts instead of peanuts. Wow Crunchy Cashew Peanut Slaw!
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view Kanaka's profile
Any suggestions about a substitution for cilantro-haters? I love it, but I have dinner guests this weekend who aren't fans. Would it be bad to just leave it out?
view barlowgirl's profile