Coleslaw? Salad? whatever you call it, this asian inspired salad recipe has everything to brighten your day…. the crunchy veggies, nutty roasted peanuts and the most amazing sweet/tangy/spicy dressing. If you ask me, the dressing of this adapted recipe from Healthy Seasonal Recipes, is what makes this salad so good.

It’s wonderful as a side salad, but is just as amazing as an entrée when topped with any kind of protein.  I’ve served it with skirt steaks for a fancy meal.  Here I paired it with some garlic shrimp (which I always have pre-made in my fridge) for a quick lunch. 

Ingredients (for the salad):

• 1 small head Napa Cabbage, finely sliced (about 8 cups)
• 4 small cucumbers (1 ½ pounds), julienne cut (6 cups)
• ½ cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup peanut oil or canola oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Splash of rice vinegar, about 1 tbsp
• Red chili flake to taste, optional

Instructions:

• Combine cabbage, cucumbers, peanuts and cilantro in a large bowl.
• Whisk oil, lime juice, sugar, salt, garlic powder, vinegar and red chili flake if using in a small bowl.
• Pour over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat.

For the Shrimp:

• 6-7 large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)

Instructions:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat along with the garlic.  ** See notes
• Toss the shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper
• Add the shrimp and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly (until opaque)
•  Chop the shrimp in bite size pieces (optional)

**Note: Add the garlic while the oil is still cold, this way it’ll infuse the oil as it’s heating up without browning too fast.