Red Cabbage Asian Salad with Grilled Tofu

The first time I made this salad in 2012

Winter is here and it’s getting cold but I feel that just because it’s cold outside we don’t need to keep eating all these heavy carb loaded foods. I mean, sure, I love carbs too they don’t call me Carby Barbie for nothing…just kidding, no one calls me that. But point is take a break from the routine and bring summer back into the kitchen with this fresh and healthy asian cabbage salad. Red cabbage is a great source of Vitamins A and C so it’s especially helpful during the winter when you need to boost your immune system with the seasonal flu and colds going around. I came across this recipe almost a decade ago. You know how during long flights and your phone is dead and you forgot to bring a book you resort to reading the safety manuals and Sky Magazine behind the seat, well that happened to me. But it was a good thing because if I had not read that magazine that day I would not have came across this recipe. I made the recipe sometime during the week that I got back after making a few adjustments. The recipe originally called for using shredded rotisserie chicken but I opted out of it and made the salad as a side salad. Now I've been making this salad for nearly 10 years that of course the measurements from what the recipe originally called for have now evolved into my preferences for my taste palate. What I love about this cabbage salad is that I can make it year round. Cabbage is one of the few vegetables that is around year round even in those colder regions of the world because cabbages, kale, collard greens and other leafy greens tend to be more resistant to colder temperatures. I suppose you could use any type of cabbage with this salad such as napa cabbage, or green cabbage but I prefer the red variety because the color contrasts nicely against the other ingredients in the salad. Though it is just a bunch of vegetables this cabbage salad is hearty and filling and refreshing. You can also pair with just about any protein and make it into an entree. I like to pair it with a grilled marinated tofu to round out those asian inspired flavors. The cabbage salad is fairly easy to make, there's a lot of chopping but if you employ the help of a mandoline it'll cut down on your prep time by half the time! I start by setting my mandoline to a thin setting but not too thin, maybe 1/4" inch or less. Then after halving a red cabbage and quartering it I began shredding it. There's just something so satisfying from slicing things on a manadoline, everything comes out even and because it's so sharp the food just glides through the blade. You have to be careful though because I've sliced one too many fingers by being so carefree when slicing vegetables. To add some color, freshness and texture this salad also has juliene carrots (also used my mandoline for that), chopped spinach and cilantro. I'm telling you guys this is so easy to throw together! Then you gotta make the dressing. I absolutely love this asian inspired dressing! It meets every single flavor profile possible, you got salty, sweet, sour, spicy and even some umami all up in there! The original recipe called for one jalapeño but mama did not raise a wimp so I've upped mine to 2 or even sometimes 3 depending on how brave I'm feeling that day. Of course you're welcome to cut back on the heat to your preference. You simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk it a bit and just let it hang out while you're preparing the rest of the salad. Then when you're done you just toss everything together and that's it, because let's be honest who doesn't love a tossed salad if you catch my drift.

To finish it off I topped it with a simple grilled marinated tofu. The tofu is marinated in dark soy, brown sugar, garlic chili paste and rice wine vinegar.

Red Cabbage Asian Salad with Grilled Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 jalapeños with seeds, chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp light brown sugar

1 tsp grated ginger pinch of salt

1/2 small head of red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, julienned

6 scallions, whites and pale greens only, thinly sliced

1 cup baby spinach, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 block of tofu, pressed*

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp garlic chili paste

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

*Optional: top with your favorite protein

In a small bowl marinate tofu in dark soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic chili paste and rice wine vinegar. Marinate while you make the salad about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together jalapeños, vegetable oil, sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, light brown sugar, grated ginger and season with salt.

In a large salad bowl combine cabbage, carrots, scallions, spinach, and cilantro.

Toss with dressing and top with peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.

Grill tofu over high heat on each side for 2 minutes.