There is always a bag of slaw in our fridge. Cabbage and carrots are cheap, plentiful and keep for a week once shredded, and the mix will take whatever else is in season, from fennel and celery to daikon, apple, broccoli and cauliflower. The vegetables are only half the story though. Change the dressing and the same bag becomes a creamy coleslaw one night, a Thai salad the next and a Waldorf on the weekend. This is everything I do with it in one place, so there is always an idea when I need one.
SLAW – MAKE ONE FOR TODAY AND A FEW BAGS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK
The Base Mix
- ¼ to ½ a cabbage – red, green or wombok, or a mix
- 3–4 carrots, washed and optionally peeled
- Any of: fennel, celery, spring onions, onion, garlic chives, cauliflower, broccoli, daikon
Method
- Shred the ¼ to ½ cabbage. For a big batch use the food processor slicing blade on a thin setting (2–3). For a small batch slice it thinly with a knife or use a cabbage grater, which looks like a huge potato peeler.
- Grate the 3–4 carrots, and any other root vegetables, with the grater attachment on the food processor. If I am in the mood I use a Vietnamese grater with rows of little squares that gives long matchstick pieces of carrot and daikon. It is slower, and a bit therapeutic but the result is much better than grated carrot.
- Slice or chop any other vegetables thinly and toss everything together.
- Store the mix undressed in several airtight ziplock bags or containers in the fridge. They keep for about a week.
- To serve, take out as much as you need and dress only that. Start with about 2 tbsp of dressing per cup of mix, toss, taste and add more if needed.
THE DRESSINGS
Every dressing here is a starting ratio. Make it, taste it and adjust: more vinegar or citrus for sharper, more sugar or honey for mellower, more mayonnaise or oil to soften. The oil and vinegar dressings keep for weeks in a jar in the fridge, so make the full amount and shake before using. Flavoured vinegars are worth trying in any of them. My Nasturtium Vinegar adds a peppery note.
1. Mum’s Creamy Dressing
My mother made this for potato salad in the 1960s. It is just as good on slaw and it is the base for the next three dressings.
- 125g mayonnaise (homemade or bought)
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp mustard powder, or 1 tsp prepared mustard
- Pinch of salt
Stir together the 125g mayonnaise, 1 tbsp malt vinegar, 2 tsp brown sugar, ½ tsp mustard powder and pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes so the sugar dissolves, then stir again and taste. Good with the plain mix, and with cauliflower and broccoli.
2. Waldorf
- 60g mayonnaise
- 60g thick yoghurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp mustard powder, or 1 tsp prepared mustard
- Pinch of salt
Stir together the 60g mayonnaise, 60g yoghurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp mustard and salt. Add a chopped apple and some sliced celery to the bowl of mix, dress, and finish with a sprinkle of walnuts.
3. Caesar
- 125g mayonnaise
- 3 anchovy fillets, mashed
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 20g parmesan, finely grated
Mash the 3 anchovy fillets with the garlic, then stir in the 125g mayonnaise, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp Dijon and 20g parmesan. Add pepper and taste before adding any salt. Finish the slaw with extra parmesan, and croutons or crisp bacon if you have them.
4. Kimchi Mayo
- 125g mayonnaise
- 60g kimchi with its juice, blended or finely chopped
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Blend or stir together the 125g mayonnaise, 60g kimchi, 2 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp sesame oil. Dress this one on the day, as the kimchi juice keeps drawing water out of the cabbage. Finish with spring onions and sesame seeds.
5. Asian Slaw Dressing
- 80ml rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 40ml soy sauce
- 35g brown sugar
- 60ml neutral oil
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Put the 80ml rice vinegar, 40ml soy sauce, 35g brown sugar, 60ml neutral oil, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp garlic in a jar and shake until the sugar dissolves. A squeeze of lime or 2 tsp fish sauce adds depth. Finish the slaw with coriander, spring onions and toasted sesame seeds or peanuts.
6. Chang’s Crispy Noodle Dressing
This is the dressing from the back of the Chang’s Crispy Noodles packet. If there is a bottle of Chang’s dressing in the fridge, use that.
- 80ml white vinegar
- 35g brown sugar
- 40ml soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 100ml olive oil
Put the 80ml white vinegar, 35g brown sugar, 40ml soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil and 100ml olive oil in a jar and shake until the sugar dissolves. For the classic salad use wombok, add 5 sliced spring onions and 100g toasted slivered almonds, dress, then add a 100g pack of crispy noodles just before serving so they stay crisp. The noodles and almonds are good on any of the Asian-style slaws.
7. Pickled
- 250ml rice vinegar, with a splash of white vinegar for extra tang
- 55g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce, tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- Pinch of chilli flakes
Warm the 250ml rice vinegar, 55g caster sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp ginger and pinch of chilli flakes in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves, then cool slightly. Pour over a large bowl of mix, stir and leave for at least 30 minutes. This is the best one for daikon and carrot. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and coriander.
8. Thai
- 40ml lime juice
- 40ml fish sauce
- 40ml rice vinegar
- 35g palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 chilli, finely chopped, seeds removed if it is a hot one
Shake the 40ml lime juice, 40ml fish sauce, 40ml rice vinegar, 35g sugar, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp sesame oil and chopped chilli in a jar until the sugar dissolves. This one is all about balance, so measure, then taste. Add a handful of coriander and mint to the bowl and finish with peanuts or fried shallots.
9. Sweet Vinegar Dressing
A big jar that lives in the fridge. Also good on rice salads.
- 125ml malt vinegar
- 110g caster sugar
- 185ml olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp finely grated ginger
Shake the 125ml malt vinegar, 110g caster sugar, 185ml olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp mustard powder and ½ tsp ginger in a jar until the sugar dissolves.
10. Tangelo Vinaigrette
- 100ml olive oil
- 80ml fresh tangelo or orange juice
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- Salt and pepper
Shake the 100ml olive oil, 80ml tangelo juice and 1 tsp wholegrain mustard in a jar and season. Add chunks of orange or tangelo and some sliced fennel to the bowl, and finish with toasted almonds and mint. For a salad in the same vein without the cabbage, see my Tangello and Fennel Salad.
11. Lemon and Cider
Sharp and clean with no mayonnaise, and the one to serve with seafood.
- 60ml apple cider vinegar
- 60ml lemon juice
- 60ml olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper
Shake the 60ml apple cider vinegar, 60ml lemon juice, 60ml olive oil, 1 tsp Dijon and 1 tsp honey in a jar and season. Add sliced fennel and apple to the bowl. The dressed-up version is my Fennel, Apple and Cucumber Slaw.
Notes
Any cabbage works. Wombok is softer and wetter than red or green cabbage, so it will not last the full week in the bag and wilts faster once dressed.
Onion, spring onion and garlic chives keep well in the mix but get stronger each day and flavour the whole bag. For a neutral base, add them on the day.
Daikon holds a lot of water. Add it on the day, or salt it lightly for 10 minutes and squeeze it dry before it goes in the bag.
I do not put cucumber in the mix. It goes watery, and I would rather make it the hero of its own salad.
What goes in the bowl does not need to match the dressing. Apple, orange, fennel, herbs, nuts, seeds and crispy noodles all go on at serving time, with whichever dressing you feel like.
Add chickpeas, shredded chicken or a boiled egg to make any of these a meal.