Asian Coleslaw

The benefit of eating cabbage often was popularized as expected my learning over many years. Cabbage is a good source of vitamins C, B1, B5, B6 and K (these are vitamins that help slow down Alzheimer's disease of the elderly). Also, cabbage is a vegetable with very good and antioxidents and one of the vegetables that are grown widely around the world but especially in Southeast Asia. Asians use cabbage in their diets as a tool to prolong youth and is a vegetable that has very few calories but provide the body a fighter against breast and colon cancers very effectively. Apart from sauerkraut, cabbage is also can be prepared in so many healthy dishes. Today, I will share a very simple cabbage dish called coleslaw, but not like the kind of coleslaw the Westerners consume in the fast food takeout restaurants or the usual side dish in the restaurants.  Asian coleslaw is very rich in nutrients and low in calories. It is also one of the secrets used by Asians to avoid the disease of obesity that has happened in Western society.

Ingredients:
2 equal cups of shredded red and white cabbage*
1/2 carrot julienned (optional)
1/4 cup Jicama, julienned (optional)
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Cilantro, chopped
Japanese dressing ingredients:
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp peanut oil or olive oil
2 1/2 cups rice wine vinegar
Chinese dressing ingredients:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 knob of fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tsp)
Thai dressing ingredients:
Equal 1/4 cups of oil, vinegar, and peanut butter
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs honey

Directions:
Combine each of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well. These are a few Asian dressings that I use for making coleslaw, and there are many more of them. Add spices such as Cayenne, jalapeno, or hot chili for your taste. Also, adjust the seasoning with more or less sugar (replace the soy sauce with salt or fish sauce etc...)
I always shred the cabbage and then wash and drain well. It will last a week or so in the refrigerator.

To make coleslaw:
Place the cabbage in a mixing bowl. With this amount, I use about 2 to 3 tbs of the dressing above. You can adjust the amount of dressing for your taste.

The topping for Asian coleslaw are crusted roasted peanuts or roasted sesame seeds.