Vietnamese mint slaw: A refreshing twist on classic coleslaw

The slaw is incredibly refreshing, thanks to the well-known herb leaves often used in European cuisine. We usually add mint to lemonade, but Asians decided to combine it with cabbage, carrots, and onions. Did you guess it’s mint?

Are you not a master of Asian cuisine? Shredded young cabbage is a good reason to start this adventure. It’s not difficult to prepare this type of side dish, and we are in the peak season for the vegetables needed.

You can buy the main ingredients for this slaw at the market stall. These include young vegetables, carrots, onions, and, most importantly, cabbage. It’s worth eating raw as often as possible. It contains many vitamins, especially C, K, A, and B group vitamins, and a lot of folic acid. It also has calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It's low-calorie, helps regulate the intestines, lowers bad cholesterol, detoxifies and alkalizes the body, and supports the immune system. Have you eaten stewed cabbage with dill a few times this season? It's time for Vietnamese slaw!

While you can buy the ingredients for the slaw at the market stall, to season it, you need to stock up on Asian products like fish sauce and rice vinegar. It’s worth having them in the kitchen because they are helpful for many dishes, not only Vietnamese but also Thai or Chinese. Add lime and chili pepper to the shopping list, too. Without them, Asians can't imagine their dishes. The sauce recipe also includes sugar. In Vietnamese cuisine, flavors should blend gently. This slaw is, therefore, spicy, sweet, and sour all at once. It pairs well with most meats prepared for the main course, as well as with grilled dishes.

Ingredients:         

• Half a head of young cabbage
• 2 young carrots
• 1 young onion
• 1 chili pepper
• A few sprigs of mint

For the sauce:   

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• Juice from half a lime
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 garlic cloves
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash the cabbage, dry it thoroughly, and cut out the core. Finely chop it and transfer it to a large bowl.
2. Peel the carrots and grate them on a large-eyed grater. Slice the young onion into thin feathers. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and chop it as finely as possible. Chop the mint leaves.
3. Add the prepared vegetables and mint to the cabbage and mix.
4. Start preparing the sauce by pressing the garlic through a press. Add lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and oil. Mix the ingredients well and season the sauce with freshly ground pepper.
5. Pour the prepared sauce over the slaw and mix to ensure all ingredients are coated with the sauce.