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Cole Slaw with Wasabi Dressing

Feel free use a grater, electric or otherwise, to prepare the vegetables. But I prefer doing it by hand. It’s pretty satisfying to chop everything into thin strips, especially if your knife is sharp. This dressing is a bit different from the ones you might find on a “Chinese chicken salad” – it’s a bit more balmy and earthy-tasting due to the wasabi powder. You can make the dressing a day in advance and dress the salad shortly before you plan to serve it. At the end of the recipe, I’ve made a few additional notes.

For the wasabi dressing:

  • (makes 1/2 cup, 125ml)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons wasabi powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/3 cup oil, (I used grapeseed oil but you can use peanut or canola)

For the cole slaw:

  • 4 cups (200g) shredded cabbage, (about 1/2 head)
  • 10 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 avocados, pitted and cubed
  • 5 cornichons, split lengthwise, then thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 bunch) fresh chives, minced
  • optional: 8 ounces (225g) Chinese roast pork or bbq tofu
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • Make the dressing by mixing together the lime juice and wasabi in a large bowl. Let stand for five minutes.
  • Stir in the remaining ingredients until well-blended.
  • Add the vegetables, avocado pieces, cornichons, and chives bowl and toss with the dressing. Then mix in the pork or tofu (if using), then the sesame seeds.
  • Taste, and add more lime juice, if desired.