Amanda Shares her Asian Inspired Salad 

As the days are warming up, I’m starting to desire the crispy freshness of a salad.

My love of Asian flavours, however, has me coveting something different from the stock standard garden variety salad, or even a Mediterranean style salad. I’m still a stickler for quick and easy, so anything that takes up too much of my time, and too many of my brain cells can forget it.

Besides, one hand is holding a wine glass and half my mind is on trying to get the kids organised for some thing or another.

With my trusty food processor at my side, I set about seeing what I could create. I may have summoned a Demon on one occasion, but ultimately, I ended up with a rather versatile Asian Inspired Salad that I quite adore.

I have whipped this up whilst a couple of chicken breasts, seasoned with lemon pepper, baked away in the oven beside me (too easy) to serve as a meal with the salad. 

My tip: Start with the dressing so it has time to sit and for its flavour to enhance.

ASIAN INSPIRED SALAD

Dressing

• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (or raw sugar)
• Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 1 knob of ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1-2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Mint leaves 

Salad 

• ¼ Wombok cabbage (Chinese cabbage)
• 1 small red onion
• 1 carrot
• ½ a cucumber (deseeded)
• Corriander
• Crispy noodles or chopped peanuts for texture and crunch

 DIRECTIONS

1. Using the blender attachment, toss in the garlic and ginger and blend for approximately 30 seconds.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the mint, and blend for a further 30 seconds until well mixed and smooth.
3. Tear off a few mint leaves, toss in and pulse for a few seconds.
4. Allow to sit whilst you whip up the salad.
5. Remove the blender attachment and replace it with the food processor. Using the slicing blade, feed in the wombok leaves, followed by the red onion (skin removed), remembering to chop them down to a size where they’ll fit into the feeding chute!
6. Transfer the sliced wombok and onion to a large mixing bowl. Change the blade to the grating blade for the carrot and cucumber.
7. Tear up the coriander, toss it in and mix these ingredients well, using a wooden spoon or your hands, then add the dressing and mix it through.
8. You can leave it sitting so the flavour infuses into the salad, or serve immediately.
9. Add crispy noodles just before service to they remain crispy, or you can mix a handful of chopped peanuts through at the last minute, sprinkling another small handful on top as a garnish.
10. This salad can be served as a side dish, is perfect as a bbq salad or makes a perfect warm Spring day meal with shredded poached or baked chicken mixed through.

It is, in fact, so versatile, you can pretty much do what you like with it.

(It can also be made using regular old cabbage, which gives it a stronger flavour and a denser texture, or iceberg lettuce, which is lighter and crispier.)

Recipe created and shared by Amanda Cox.

Amanda Cox - also commonly referred to as Mad Cow - is an insanely busy mum to three boys, wife to a chef, food lover, published author, writer, speaker and founder of online parent support and information website, Real Mums and blogger at Diary of a Mad Cow

With a background as an aerobics instructor, when they were called aerobics instructors, and personal trainer specialising in obesity and weight management, she has a strong passion for helping others live happy, healthy lives. Being a busy mums and having experienced a severe, postnatal depression, she understands just how difficult this can be when raising kids and living a 'real life'. Still, she manages to cook a  nutritious, delicious meal for her family most nights of the week, between basketball training, parkour sessions, swimming lessons and wanting to lie under the doona in the foetal position.