Asian Cabbage Salad with Warm Spicy Peanut Dressing
Mention cabbage in our house and there are two main options that come up – roast dinner and coleslaw! We tend to use Sweetheart cabbage which is a green cabbage that is great shredded up into coleslaw and is also an addition to the vegetable selection with roast dinners.
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But there are a lot more things to do with cabbage than just coleslaw and roast dinner! There are also quite a few different types of cabbage that you can select from. This Asian Cabbage Salad with warm spicy peanut dressing actually uses two different types for a great light meal using the vegetable.
Choosing the right cabbage
While lots of recipes state exactly which cabbage you should use, others are a little vaguer. But that’s because cabbage comes in specific types and also general categories.
Green cabbage
These are the most common types of cabbage and have a pale green colour with a slightly rubbery texture to the leaves. They come in lots of varieties including Sweetheart, the favourite in our house. They are also known as Cannonball cabbage due to their tightly packed shape.
Red cabbage
These are more of a reddish purple colour than a bright red and have a deeper flavour. They are popular in similar dishes to green cabbage such as coleslaw as well as dishes that are specific to them and make the most of the cool colour.
Napa or Chinese cabbage
These oblong-shaped cabbages have yellow-green leaves and have a sweeter flavour with softer leaves than others, so they are good eaten raw. They can also make a good dumpling filling.
Savoy cabbage
Savoy cabbage looks like someone has been out with the crimping tongs and have a crinkled look to them. They have a mild flavour and are popular for soups and stir-fry dishes when cut thin.
Bok choy
These have white stems and deep green leaves with a taste that is similar to spinach or swiss chard and is used for dishes like mixed steamed vegetables and stir-fries as well as some type of soup.
Why make your own sauce?
So armed with the right cabbages for the job, you are now ready to take a look at the recipe. You can get peanut sauce in the shops and that’s fine if you are short of time. But there are a few reasons to consider making your own:
- Add ingredients you like – once you have tried a sauce, you can start experimenting with the flavour and adjusting the ingredients to get it just as you want it
- Adjust the taste to your preference – maybe you like more garlic, less salt, want to try with different lemon rather than lime? That’s all fine when you make it from scratch
- Know what’s in it – whether you have allergies, want to avoid certain ingredients or simply watch what you eat, when you make it yourself, you know what’s in it
Okay, let’s dive into the recipe!
Asian Cabbage Salad with Warm Spicy Peanut Dressing
Tasty recipe using green and red cabbage for a light meal or lunch
Ingredients
Spicy peanut sauce
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce
- 3 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
- 1½ tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
- ¼ cup Mandarin orange juice
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
Salad
Instructions
Sauce
- Combine the peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha sauce in a medium pan or skillet on medium heat
- Season with black pepper and salt to taste then stir continuously until the butter melts and the ingredients are combined, usually 2-3 minutes
- Reduce the heat and whisk in the rest of the sauce ingredients until combined. Simmer for around two minutes, stirring occasionally then set to one side and keep warm
