Holy Slaw!

A flavorful slaw, hallelujah!

Nothing like a church potluck.

Make a trip or two or three along those long tables of home-cooked food, one tempting casserole after another delicious dessert (and don’t forget Mrs. Barry’s pecan pie), it’s no wonder that afterward folks head toward home heavy-eyed and hoping for a Sunday afternoon nap.

Salads seem to be scarce at potlucks so colorful HOLY SLAW! will be a welcome addition come the next one. The dressing is unusual, a tasty blend of Asian-inspired flavors. I’m willing to bet a nap that you’ll gather both compliments and recipe requests.

ALANNA's TIPS Watch your supermarket or international grocery for jars of minced ginger that are such huge timesavers you may find yourself going out of your way to use fresh ginger. This coleslaw loses punch and crunch after an hour, so mix only what can be eaten on the spot. You can still make it ahead of time, just save the last step until right before eating. If it’ll be eaten over several days, mix the dressing and chop the peppers, carrots and green onions in advance. At the last minute, quickly chop some cilantro, add it to a portion of the pepper-carrot mix, then stir in some cabbage and some dressing.
Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food writer Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Send the recipe for a favorite potluck item to e-mail.

HOLY SLAW!

Crunchy vegetables in a peanut dressing
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time-to-table: 20 minutes
Makes 7 cups
    DRESSING
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oil, preferably peanut
  • ½ tablespoon sesame oil (a key ingredient, try not to skip)
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter (preferably low-fat)
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ tablespoon fresh minced ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon Thai chili sauce (or Tabasco, for a bit of heat)

    • SLAW
  • 1 red sweet pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow sweet pepper, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 16 ounces chopped cabbage

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the peppers, carrots and green onions in a large serving bowl. About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the cilantro, cabbage and dressing and combine well.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per ½ Cup: 55 Cal (51% from Fat); 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 6g Carb; 2g Fiber; 154mg Sodium; 0mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 1 point

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© Copyright 2006 Kitchen Parade

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I'm not usually a fan of anything slaw, but this one looks very good. I think I might have to give it a try.

6/20/2006
Anonymous JenJen on 7/19/2007
 
Your salad sounds and looks heavenly. ;-) (How much more punning can you take?!)

We've been having near 100F days in CO for the last week or so and we've been cooling off with salads and fruits.

I must say, though, that I think there is nothing to beat fresh ginger (or garlic). I tried the bottled ginger (and garlic) when we first moved to the US. I didn't care much for the flavors (loss of, more like) or the preservatives. I've found that in this case, I am more on the side of flavor than the saved time. It doesn't take much time to peel and grate some ginger.

6/21/2006
Anonymous Manisha on 7/19/2007
 
AK, glad to have made you laugh!

Thanks for that tip about ginger from Chinese stores.

6/22/2006
Anonymous Manisha on 7/19/2007