Sea Slaw
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 20 minutes, plus time to rest if you like
This is the most colorful slaw you’ve ever seen. The seaweed will quickly absorb some of the dressing and plump up a bit but still remain chewy. You can use any type of seaweed you like, but if you want a really vibrant green the key is instant wakame, an ultra-purified Japanese product available at natural and Asian food stores.
Serve this with any vegetable burger, or as part of an Asian small-plate feast. Toss a cup or two with chilled cooked noodles and you’ve got yourself a crunchy pasta salad. Use Vegannaise, and it’s a vegan salad.
1/4 cup mayonnaise or Vegannaise
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, salted or unsalted
1/4 cup instant wakame or other dried seaweed
2 cups chopped cabbage (about 1/2 pound), preferably Napa
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/2 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
01 Whisk the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and peanuts together in a large bowl.
02 Add the wakame, cabbage, cucumber, and bell pepper. Toss to coat in the dressing. If possible, refrigerate the salad for an hour or so before serving to let the flavors mellow. (Or cover and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.) To serve, add the cilantro, salt, and pepper and toss again. Then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding some hot red pepper if you like.
