Shredded Cabbage, carrots, daikon radish and Black Sesame Seeds

Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Honey Vinaigrette

  • Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Honey Vinaigrette
  • Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Honey Vinaigrette
  • Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Honey Vinaigrette

NOTES

Vegan, nut-free salad with an Asian twist.

I dressed the cabbages and the other veggies separately because the color of the purple cabbage bleeds into the mixture otherwise. This is not so pretty. If you want to speed up the process, toss all the veggies with the dressing together at once, but I prefer keeping the colors clear and distinct, even if it means taking a little more time to compose the salad.

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut peeled carrot and daikon into 3”-4” long matchsticks pieces, set aside.

Remove outer layer of green onions, discard. Cut off darkest green at the top of the onion (just about 1”) and the root and discard both. Cut into 3-4” strips.

Cut cabbage into thin strips, keep purple and green cabbage separate.

Toast sesame seeds in a small pan on stovetop until they start to brown if using white sesame, or for about 2 minutes if using black. Remove from pan and reserve in small bowl.

In a mixing bowl, combine all dressing ingredients, grating the ginger with a micro-grater and mincing the garlic with a knife. Mix well to completely dissolve the miso, making sure there are no small chunks are left behind. Add sesame seeds, reserving a small amount for garnish.

Dress purple cabbage lightly and put in one half of your serving bowl. Do the same with green cabbage and add to other half of the bowl.

Dress carrots, daikon and green onion and arrange on top of the cabbage. Top with slices of avocado and sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and a handful of cilantro leaves. Serve.

RECIPE

DIFFICULTY

MODERATE

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SERVES

4

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PREP TIME

10 MINS

Salad

  • 1/4 
     
    purple cabbage
  • 1/4 
     
    green cabbage (you could use Napa cabbage too if you prefer)
  • 1 
     
    medium carrot, peeled
  • 1-2 
     
    small daikon radish, peeled
  • 4 
     
    green onions
  • 1 
     
    hass avocado

Dressing

  • 1 
    tbs 
    white miso paste
  • 1 
    tsp 
    fresh grated ginger
  • 1 
    clove 
    garlic
  • 1 
    tbs 
    peanut oil
  • 1 
    tbs 
    toasted sesame oil
  • 1 
    tsp 
    sweet Mirin vinegar (seasoned, sweeted rice vinegar)
  • 1 
    tsp 
    rice wine vinegar
  • 1 
    tsp 
    honey
  • 1 
    tbs 
    white sesame seeds
  • 1 
    tbs 
    black sesame seeds
  • 1 
     
    lime, juiced

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut peeled carrot and daikon into 3”-4” long matchsticks pieces, set aside.

Remove outer layer of green onions, discard. Cut off darkest green at the top of the onion (just about 1”) and the root and discard both. Cut into 3-4” strips.

Cut cabbage into thin strips, keep purple and green cabbage separate.

Toast sesame seeds in a small pan on stovetop until they start to brown if using white sesame, or for about 2 minutes if using black. Remove from pan and reserve in small bowl.

In a mixing bowl, combine all dressing ingredients, grating the ginger with a micro-grater and mincing the garlic with a knife. Mix well to completely dissolve the miso, making sure there are no small chunks are left behind. Add sesame seeds, reserving a small amount for garnish.

Dress purple cabbage lightly and put in one half of your serving bowl. Do the same with green cabbage and add to other half of the bowl.

Dress carrots, daikon and green onion and arrange on top of the cabbage. Top with slices of avocado and sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and a handful of cilantro leaves. Serve.

I don’t often cook with Asian flavors. They make me feel like a kid with their first chemistry set, combining ingredients willy-nilly until something spontaneously combusts. But recently I have been compelled by miso, an impressively versatile ingredient that can be used as a marinade, dressing or soup base. Miso is made from fermented soybeans and rice or barley, and comes in a variety of colors. I thought I was allergic to it for the longest time (I have a soy allergy), but recently learned that I was able to eat fermented soy products. If you have a soy allergy check with your doctor first, but apparently this is a common loophole (hooray!)

White miso (actually kind of beige in color) is the best variety to use for salads because it is light and a tiny bit sweet. Because it is fermented, if kept in the fridge, your miso might outlive you (I have never seen it go bad).

The other secret to making a better than average slaw is cutting your components down to the same size. So, my daikon sticks and my carrot sticks are cut to the same length, and their thickness is proportional to the thickness of the cabbage slices. This might seem finicky, but when I think of what sets home cooking apart from restaurant-quality fare, it often has to do with presentation and details like the way things are cut. It also aids one in creating the perfect bite, all the pieces equal in the microcosm of my salad bowl.