Recipe | Asian kale with cabbage, peanuts & mint

Here’s a salad with a tangy twist that you can throw together in no time. With its zesty dressing and mix of crunchy veggies, it’s the perfect balance of refreshing flavours and you can have it on your table in around 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Prep time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 bunch of curly kale (approximately 100 g), leaves stripped from stalks and finely shredded

1/4 green cabbage (approximately 200 g), very finely shredded

2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved lengthways, seeds removed and cut into half moons

5 spring onions, finely sliced

1/2 bunch of coriander, leaves roughly chopped

1/2 bunch of mint, leaves roughly chopped

1 long red chilli, very finely chopped (you can do 2 if you like spice)

160 g (1 cup) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

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Tangy asian dressing

3 tablespoons peanut oil

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 tablespoon caster sugar or brown sugar

salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

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Protein paring

Tofu: cut firm tofu into cubes, marinate in 2 tablespoons soy sauce (and 1 teaspoon sesame oil, if available). Pan-fry over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until golden brown on all sides.

Chicken: season 2 chicken breast fillets with salt and pepper and marinate in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Cook in a pan over medium heat for 6–7 minutes per side until cooked through and the juices run clear. Rest for a few minutes, then slice.

Prawns: Toss peeled and deveined prawns in 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Sauté in a pan over medium–high heat for 2–3 minutes until they turn pink and are cooked through.

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Method

Start with the salad base. Place the kale in a large bowl and massage it with your fingers for 1–2 minutes to soften. Add the cabbage, cucumber, spring onion, coriander, mint, chilli and peanuts.

On to the dressing. Combine all the tangy Asian dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the flavours as needed, adding more lime juice for acidity or sugar for sweetness.

Last step! Pour enough dressing over the salad so everything’s just coated (not drenched – you may not need all the dressing) and toss through. Serve at once.

TIP: If making ahead or for guests, dress the salad just before serving to keep it fresh and vibrant. Store any leftover dressing in an airtight
container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Leftover salad can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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