I have found that there are two kinds of people when it comes to cabbage. The first sort are those who cannot see anything good in it. The other kind, like me, quite enjoy cabbage provided it is treated well. I’ve even made a Payasam/ Kheer with cabbage that’s so good. That said, my love for cabbage and all, this Red Cabbage Carrot Slaw almost didn’t happen.
Red or purple cabbage is quite commonly sold out here, yet I rarely buy it. I prefer the sweeter taste of green cabbage when cooked. I find the red cabbage a little stronger in flavor and worse is that it changes to dirty and uninspiring colour when cooked.
Occasionally, I give into temptation and come home with red cabbage when I find an extra good looking one. Then it becomes a tiring process of figuring out what to make with it. You see, I’m the only one who really likes cabbage at home. The green one is just about tolerated but the red one is usually looked at with much suspicion.
A Red Cabbage Carrot Slaw seemed a good way to go with the said vegetable. I like slaws with creamy dressing so long as the dressing is light and the slaw isn’t swimming in it. Unfortunately, creamy slaws and our hot Indian summers don’t quite go together. Our summers call for light food, little or minimal cooking and unfussy food. They do, in my book at least.
So this is a light and summery slaw. That means no heavy dressing but just a light vinaigrette. My vinaigrette is a simple coconut oil based one with lime juice. Less is truly more with this dressing as it works so well with the fresh flavours and the crunch.
Does one really need a recipe for a slaw? Maybe you do, or maybe not but here it is anyways. The secret to good slaw is absolutely fresh vegetables and shredding/ slicing them really fine. There are suggestions for steeping the cabbage in ice cold water but I usually do not bother. Red cabbage can bleed colour into the slaw if it sits for too long. That’s one disadvantage of using red cabbage but it hasn’t bothered me so far. You can serve it on the side, but this Red Cabbage Carrot Slaw is good as a one dish meal for the those days when all you want is a light salad.
- 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
- 2 cups finely shredded carrots
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- Fresh coriander for garnishing
- In a salad bowl, mix together the shredded cabbage, carrot and onion. Whisk together lime juice, coconut oil, pepper and salt for the vinaigrette. Drizzle over the salad and toss well so the salad is well coated with it. Cover and leave it aside for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in the peanuts and the cranberries. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve immediately.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
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