Lou Wong’s Asian slaw – serves 6-8 people as a side dish

Best results are achieved by using a Japanese mandolin or “Benriner”.  It cuts the vegetables into ‘matchsticks’ that have more crunchy texture.  You can find various mandolins and serrated peelers at Chef’s Hat in South Melbourne.  Also available from Amazon or ebay.

Ingredients

Red Cabbage – shredded – 1 cup

Carrot – peeled and grated with the medium blade of the Benriner– 1 cup

Daikon – peeled and grated – 1 cup

Sprinkle with finely chopped herbs such as: Perilla, Vietnamese Mint, Mint, Thai Basil or Coriander.

Dressing

Grapeseed oil              2 Tablespoons (optional)

Sesame oil                   ½  teaspoon

Lemon Juice                1.5 to 2 Tablespoons

Mayonnaise                 1 Tablespoon (optional)

or  dress with Shiso mixed with a dash of sesame oil.

Shiso (Perilla) flavored soy sauce

Optional Toppings

Pumpkin seeds (pepita) – 50 grams

Teriyaki sauce or tamari sauce – 1 Tablespoon

Black roasted sesame seeds – about 2 teaspoons

Top with Pumpkin seeds that have been pan-fried and drizzled lightly with teriyaki sauce as follows:

Place fry pan on medium high heat. No oil required.  Add  the pumpkin seeds, spreading them around so they are a single layer.  Stir them just a little to flip them over as best as you can . As they start to pop, turn off heat immediately.  Drizzle teriyaki sauce and quickly stir so that all the pumpkin seeds are covered by the sauce.  Immediately pour over the salad. They will be sticky and clumped together, so toss them around the grated vegetables a bit to separate them.