Yes, you read that right: kaleslaw. Not coleslaw (which is somehow not called cabbageslaw. Hmm.). No gloppy mayonnaise, no pale green cabbage, no (for the love all things holy) raisins (Who’s brilliant idea was that anyway? Dear Person Who Thought Raisins in Coleslaw was a Brilliant Plan: We need to have a chat.). Just thin strips of bright green kale, crunchy carrots and radishes, toasted peanuts and sesame, all tied together with a bright, slightly sweet and just-a-hint spicy Asian dressing.
I know, I know: this is basically just a raw kale salad. Which were all the rage last year: just like me to be right on the cutting edge. But, I’ve got to tell you: I see a lot of those raw kale salads, with huge chunks of curly kale, barely misted with a touch of dressing, and I think, “Ew.” Kale is not lettuce, my friends. It is tougher, chewier, springier: there’s a reason you can toss kale into a soup or stew and it holds up fine, while lettuce would quickly fall apart. So, while I am all for not turning on the stove in the face of impending temperature-doom, kale, she needs a little help. It just doesn’t have to come in the form of heat: a good dressing will do the job.
While I mostly tossed this quick slaw together as a way to use up some of the never-ending supply of kale in the fridge, I found it surprisingly delicious, either at room temperature, after a minimal ‘wilting time’ in the dressing, or the next day, cool from the fridge, kale further softened yet still crisp and bright. Knife skills are key to this simple dish: the kale needs careful chiffonade-ing (cue Escoffier rolling over in his grave), so the pieces will wilt easily and evenly under the dressing. The julienned carrots and sliced radishes add visual interest and crunch, but again: large chunks don’t seem to work here. So sharpen those knives and put in a little quality time at the counter: once you have this crisp, cool, Asian salad to pull out of the fridge in the midst of the dreaded heatwave, you’ll be happy for the effort. Enjoy – and stay cool!
Asian Kaleslaw
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch (about 8 oz) kale, preferably a soft-leafed variety like lacinato or dinosaur, washed and shaken dry
- 1/4 cup raw peanuts
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 3 – 6 radishes, scrubbed, halved and thinly sliced
Dressing
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
METHODS
- Remove the stem ends from the kale. Stack 4 or 5 leaves on top of each other: slice lengthwise, along the stem, and stack each half. Roll tightly into a cigar shape, then thinly slice (chiffonade) the leaves crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat until all kale is sliced.
- Combine dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl: shake or whisk vigoroulsy until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings or proportions. Pour over kale, tossing to coat well. Prep the remaining vegetables and add to the bowl.
- Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and just begining to brown, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add to the kale and toss several times. Allow to rest, tossing now & then, until kale wilts slightly under the dressing, about 15 minutes or longer. Serve at room temperature or cold from the fridge.
Serves 6 as a side.
OPTIONS
- Later in the summer, when young kale starts arriving for the Fall season, I might make this with julienned red bell pepper, slivered celery, and a bit of fresh chile pepper for heat.
- Daikon would make a nice substitute for the radish, if you can find it.
- Fresh ginger wouldn’t be amiss.
STORE
This slaw stores nicely for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator; the kale softens further and the carrots and radishes keep their crunch.
SEASON
Spring or Fall.
localkitchenblog.com 
‘Coleslaw’ because the collective term for the cabbage/kale tribe is Coles. Latin ‘caulis’ or stem, incidentally. Love the recipe, a whole new Kale universe is opened up………………..
Brilliant! I love etymology (but I was clearly too lazy to Google). But I still think “kaleslaw” is more fun to say. 🙂
Well, that looks delicious. I’ve definitely found that kale stands up excellently to really acidic vinaigrettes; while normal lettuce would wilt into an oblivion, the kale softens just enough to help with the fibrousness that usually turns people off. Will definitely be trying this!
What an awesome name! It looks so pretty, fresh and clean too :D. Yum.
Now I know what to do with the kale I impulsively bought at the co-op today. And I’m completely in agreement that coleslaw is absolutely no place for raisins.
Asian flavors plus kale? It’s like perfection in recipe form. Can’t wait to try it.
I’m totally with you on the raisin thing….ewwwwww. Any-who, awesome salad idea, as the garden is overflowing with kale right now and I got some of it and radishes from our family farmers too! BTW, other favourite kale salad: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcc/recipes/massaged-kale-and-currant-salad . Thanks!
Fabulous! I am definitely on the no-mayo-slaw train, and this dressing sounds like a perfect match with kale. 🙂
Thanks for saying what I’ve been thinking for the last year or so: “Kale is not lettuce, my friends.” So tired of chewy, chewy salads at otherwise good restaurants. This looks wonderful, however!
sounds and looks fantastic! a must try for sure! 🙂
I love all the ingredients, so in combination they’d be just wonderful. Great salad to take to work. 🙂 Debra
Raisins in slaw? Wth? Thank god I haven’t crossed that. I love raisins. I love slaw. I even love weird combos. But eww.
As always, looks amazing. Oh, and the linens are super cute! =)
This looks delicious and a nice twist on a classic. Plus healthy, yay! Thanks for sharing!
let me join the chorus of “yuck” to raisins-in-slaw. my favorite “regular” coleslaw is Bittman’s “spicy no-mayo coleslaw” (p. 206, How to Cook Everything). amazing on fish tacos.
this looks delish also. love a salad that can hold up in the fridge for a day or two, especially for brown bag lunch @ work.
We love kale, and this recipe looks tantalizing. As soon as I can get a crop of kale that escapes my free range hens…. I am making this. It looks delicious. Here’s the recipe that began our love of kale: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/collard-green-coleslaw/ I used kale and made carrot into thin curls. I agree with you, visual appeal and texture are what made it work so well. Also, changed out the dressing using whole mustard seed and adding an equal amount of celery seed.
Nice! Very creative 😀 But I personally think putting 2 tbsp of sesame oil in would sort of overpower the whole dish. Love the idea though ^^
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Hello,
this looks very delicious and colorful, ‘d absolutely prefer this to coleslaw. Will think of this recipe and try this as soon as I come across kale.
Regards,
Sarah
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