I know I know – it’s a bit weird to combine Mexican and Thai in one recipe, but it accidently moved from Thai to Mexican through my own whim, and just in case you prefer Thai tastes I’ve included instructions on how to move it back to Thai.
I was inspired by a Thai coleslaw recipe from Ingrid DeHart and followed my own creative path through my taste buds and what was in my kitchen to get to the version I’m loving now.
And thank you to seriouseats.com for the coleslaw photo (you’ll have to imagine the mango). I am in the process of encouraging my husband to take up food photography (~.~) You may have already noticed that most of my photos are not a boon to your appetite … sigh …
Small Print: For those of you who have been to Get Cultured workshops … this is a fermentable! Kinda like a tweetable, only for your tummy and tastebuds. Contact me for salt info.
The version I’m using now is more Mexican than Thai, and looks like this:
Mexican Thai Coleslaw
½ head green cabbage
2-4 green onions
Small handful diced cilantro (depends on how much you like cilantro – I use a large handful)
Serano chili pepper (small & minced)*
1 lime, just the juice please
1 mango (Atulfo – the small yellow kind) diced
a pinch of sea salt or Himilayan Rock salt
Shred the cabbage, dice and chop all the veggies, including the mango, and add to the cabbage. Stir and let sit for at least 1/2 hour before serving.
*More Small Print:
-I didn’t have any Serrano chilis on hand so I used a hot sauce I brought back from Mexico that is made from Serrano chilis. Sliding further into Mexican territory …
-If you have a larger cabbage or mango, add the juice of another lime to balance the flavours
-to re-enter Thai territory simply substitute basil for the cilantro and use real serrano chilis … you can also add sesame seeds of any colour.
-Another option is to add a little coconut milk or coconut water if you have the urge – about 1/4 cup.
– The mango adds hits of vitamin A, C and B6 along with fibre, and the cabbage is a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Calcium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of fibre, vitamins A, C, K, B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese. Whew! I bet you didn’t realize so much goodness could exist in a salad that is so refreshing and light for these summer days.