Rainbow Slaw With Lime and Sesame is a crisp, colourful side dish built around finely sliced cabbage, carrot and sweet pepper. A light dressing of lime, ginger and toasted sesame oil coats the vegetables, while sesame seeds add a nutty finish. It is a useful recipe when you want something fresh beside a warm meal, with plenty of texture and no complicated preparation.
The key is to give each vegetable a little attention before mixing. Thin cabbage ribbons are easier to eat than chunky pieces, dry vegetables hold the dressing better, and a short rest brings the flavours together. This version keeps the focus on that balance of crunch, tanginess and toasted sesame, rather than turning the bowl into a heavily dressed salad.
Recipe at a glance
Allow about 25 minutes to prepare the slaw, plus 10 minutes for resting. It makes four generous side portions or six smaller servings. You will need a sharp knife, chopping board, coarse grater, large mixing bowl and small frying pan. A clean jar with a tight lid is handy for mixing the dressing, although a bowl and whisk work equally well.
Ingredients
For the slaw
- 200g red cabbage, weighed after removing the core
- 200g white cabbage, weighed after removing the core
- 2 medium carrots, about 150g, scrubbed or peeled
- 1 red pepper, deseeded
- 3 spring onions, trimmed
- 15g fresh coriander, including tender stalks, optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil or mild olive oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons reduced-salt soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Measure the lime juice rather than relying on the number of fruits, as their size and juiciness vary. Toasted sesame oil has a pronounced flavour, so the small quantity here is enough to season the whole bowl. The rapeseed oil helps distribute it without making sesame the only flavour you notice.
Method
- Wash and dry. Remove damaged outer cabbage leaves. Rinse the vegetables under running water, then drain and dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. Cut the cabbages into wedges, remove the tough cores and weigh out the amounts needed.
- Shred the cabbage. Set each wedge flat on the board and slice into thin ribbons. Shorten any very long pieces so they are manageable on a fork. Put the red and white cabbage in a large bowl, separating any shreds that remain pressed together.
- Prepare the other vegetables. Coarsely grate the carrots. Slice the red pepper into thin strips and finely slice the spring onions, including their green parts. Chop the coriander, if using. Add everything to the cabbage and turn gently with two spoons to mix.
- Toast the seeds. Place the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat. Stir frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate immediately to cool; leaving them in the hot pan can make them burn.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the lime juice, rapeseed oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, ginger and black pepper together. Alternatively, shake in a tightly closed jar. Taste a little dressing on a piece of cabbage to judge the balance.
- Toss and rest. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss thoroughly, reaching right down to the bottom of the bowl. Rest for 10 minutes, then toss again. Scatter over the cooled sesame seeds just before serving so they retain their texture.
Getting the crunch right
Slice finely, but keep some substance
The cabbage should be thin enough to bend easily, without becoming tiny scraps. A coarse grater gives carrot strands that remain noticeable among the cabbage. If you prefer cutting carrots by hand, make fine matchsticks of a similar length to the pepper strips. Consistent pieces make the slaw easier to mix and more pleasant to eat.
Keep excess water out
Water left on the vegetables will dilute the dressing and gather at the bottom of the bowl. Take particular care with the cabbage folds and the hollow parts of the pepper. There is no need to salt and drain the cabbage first for this recipe: the brief rest in the dressing gives a little softness while preserving a firm bite.
Adjust after tossing
A spoonful of dressing tastes stronger on its own than it does spread across a bowl of vegetables. Taste the finished slaw before changing anything. Add another teaspoon of lime juice if it needs brightness, or half a teaspoon of maple syrup if the acidity feels too sharp. Toss well between additions rather than pouring in several adjustments at once.
Serving ideas
Serve the slaw alongside baked potatoes, roast chicken or grilled tofu. Its cool crunch works especially well beside something warm and tender. You can also put a small handful inside a bean burger bun, with more on the side. Lift it out with serving tongs so excess dressing stays in the bowl.
To turn a portion into lunch, add drained chickpeas and cooked, cooled bulgur wheat just before eating. Keep these additions separate from the main bowl if you want to use the remaining slaw with another meal. For wraps, use a modest filling and drain it well to help keep the bread from becoming soggy.
Simple variations
- One cabbage: use 400g white cabbage if you do not have red cabbage. You will still have colour from the carrot, pepper and spring onions.
- Different pepper: swap the red pepper for yellow or orange in the same quantity. Green pepper works too, with a less sweet flavour.
- Another herb: replace coriander with a small handful of flat-leaf parsley, or simply leave it out.
- A little heat: add a small pinch of dried chilli flakes to the dressing, then taste before adding more.
- Gluten-free option: use tamari labelled gluten-free instead of soy sauce, checking the other ingredient labels as well.
Making ahead and storing
For maximum crunch, prepare the vegetables and dressing separately the day before serving. Cover and refrigerate both, and shake the dressing again before using. Store the cooled toasted seeds in a separate airtight container. Combine the vegetables and dressing about 10 minutes before eating, adding the seeds at the end.
Refrigerate dressed leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within two days. The cabbage will soften and the red cabbage may tint the other vegetables. Toss before serving and use a slotted spoon if liquid has collected underneath. Freezing is not recommended, because the vegetables lose their crisp texture when thawed.
