It's not the sexiest vegetable out there, but cabbage is packed with a range of vitamins and minerals and fibre, with red cabbage offering 10 times more vitamin A than its green counterpart.
Its aubergine hue and bitter, peppery flavour signify that you’re getting two types of cancer-preventing substances. The red pigment comes from plant-based chemicals called flavonoids, while the sharp flavour is the result of sulfur-based compounds.
I have never been a huge cabbage fan, and my earlier memories are those of my mother making meatball cabbage rolls, which I disliked profusely. It has only been in recent years, after my obsessive interest in concocting delicious recipes with all sorts of vegetables, that I started to enjoy cabbage. Red cabbage especially, since it has a gorgeous purple colour and it’s extremely versatile and healthy.
It was a few years ago that a close friend of mine shared this Chinese cabbage salad recipe with me, and now I want to share it with you. The recipe suggests using green cabbage, but I prefer using the purple variety. The only thing I need to point out about the recipe, is that you must toss and pour the dressing over only just before serving otherwise it goes soggy.
Chinese Cabbage Salad with Crunchy Noodles
WHAT YOU NEED
- cabbage, shredded
- 1 bunch green spring onions (shallots), chopped
- 1 large carrot, grated (optional)
- ½ packet spinach leaves, shredded (optional)
- 1 Maggi 2-minute noodles (discard flavourings and crush)
- 1⁄2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1⁄3 cup sunflower seeds
Dressing
- 2⁄3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1⁄3 cup vinegar
METHOD
To make the dressing mix all ingredients together.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and brown the noodles, seeds and nuts.
Just before serving toss the nut mixture through the cabbage and spring onions.
Pour dressing over and serve immediately.
