Casual conversations ...
Do you remember the last time you called a friend, for no reason, and then ended up talking about what you have been eating and how much you don't like cabbage and yet you are stuck with three whole heads of it? No! Well, you missed out ;). Call me, I'll tell you all about it...again. Ok, this time I'll also tell you ways of not feeling so overwhelmed by those
cabbage heads in your fridge
.
That is exactly what happened a couple of days ago when a friend called. I had just about found inspiration for using
one head into a smoky roast slaw
(recipe coming later) and I was flat out of any more spark. Come SR to the rescue. No sooner as I had mentioned my distaste for the vegetable having been, for years, accustomed to eating it in an over-cooked soggy stirfry, that she rattled off a few brilliant
suggestions to eat the leaves raw or mostly raw
. Phat! Wow! I was left positively looking forward to eating those leaves!!!
I adore vegetarians really! Without the option of meat you are so much more creative with use of vegetables! I am doing the CSA this year and for a few weeks, we tend to get the same vegetable over until the harvest runs out. I usually ebullient the first week, glad the second and then quite forlorn after. The thing is, I am also trying to not mix meat with the wonderful produce we get in an effort to keep the flavors clean and let them shine. That is where I think you vegetarians have an advantage...
recurring creativity!
One of her suggestions was an idea for a salad. It took me back to my time in Japan when my favorite dish ever was
Ebi-katsu
that was served with mounds of shredded cabbage consumed drenched in a plum sauce. And, the cabbage was unlimited. I could go through up to five refills of it; it was of great entertainment value for my fellow diners! Infact, on many an occasion I was bought lunch/dinner for the pure pleasure of watching me do that!
Interestingly, our conversation made me realise how much raw cabbage is used in East Asian cuisine. Few other cuisines rarely eat it in its crunchy natural form. If you know of any cabbage dishes that don't require it to be fully cooked, I would love to hear of them.
Anyway, without further ado I leave you with an incredibly simple salad with supremely flavorful
yogurt dressing
that will make you a cabbage convert! Oh! Do make oodles of the dressing; you'll love how nicely it rounds off the salad and want more just for a lick....
Raw Summer Slaw Salad with Green Yogurt Dressing
{for two}
1/2 small cabbage head, shredded
2 small scallions, sliced thin
3-4 radishes sliced long and thin
1 tomato, diced small
3/4 cup chickpeas, cooked tender
For the dressing:
1/2 cup fresh whole yogurt
1/3 cup fresh basil (go by flavor)
handful of cleaned radish leaves (they are awesome!)
1/2 clove of garlic, raw
1 hot green pepper
salt and pepper
To make the dressing, pulse the ingredients to as creamy a mixture as you can and reserve.
Toss the salad ingredients in the yogurt dressing and serve!
Yep! That is all! Simple and habit forming....