I’ve lived below the Mason Dixon line my whole life, but I didn’t actually move south until college. By south I mean the sweet-tea-drinking, slow-talking southern culture. It took me a little while to catch on to a few southern things, but one that was pretty easy to pick up on was that eastern North Carolina was famous for it’s vinegar-style barbeque.
“Barbeque” around here means pulled pork- not a cook out or chicken legs smothered in tangy red sauce. On the eastern half of the state {and probably even more than that}, it also means spicy and tart vinegar-based pulled pork.
While it didn’t take me long to realize people go ga-ga for this stuff, it took me a bit longer to catch on to the whole “slaw” thing. Apparently, coleslaw, in the same vinegar sauce, comes with every order of barbecue. If it’s a sandwich, it comes right on there- they look at you a little cross-eyed when you ask them not to do that.
I’ve never liked coleslaw. Then one day, after years of shunning the NC style coleslaw, I decided to taste a bite. That’s when I realized it wasn’t the coleslaw I didn’t like- it was the mayonnaise.
So for the first time ever, I decided to whip up a batch of slaw. Only I couldn’t leave it alone- cabbage and vinegar just sounded too dull. So I went Asian on it.
Asian Slaw
First up, loads of veggies.
Plus my go-to-Asian-fying ingredients.
If you can get your hands on fresh ginger, I highly recommend it. Completely different taste experience than the powdered stuff. Even the jarred, pre-chopped stuff would be better than the dried kind.
Who ever said food wasn’t beautiful?
Purple cabbage.
Plus green cabbage.
Coated with Asian marinade. I added the sauce while I cut the vegetables so it could start soaking up the goodness and the vinegar could start softening the extra-crunchy cabbage a bit.
Nothing screams Asian like edamame.
And then you have it: Asian slaw!
No mayo here.
It’s perfectly good on it’s own, but wait until you see the serving suggestion I have in store for you tomorrow. 
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 3 large carrots, shredded
- 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cooked, shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar, unseasoned
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- ½ tsp salt (omit if didn't use low sodium soy sauce)
- 3/4 tsp Sriracha
- 1 inch minced fresh ginger (~1 Tbsp)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Whisk until peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.
- Mix together the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to let slaw soak up the sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Can you believe I’m 16 weeks pregnant already? Catch up on the past 4 months of pregnancy, speedy-style on tiny sneakers.
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