Asian slaw salad with shrimp

The other day I was searching for something to eat for lunch. I decided on salad. However my salad idea was thwarted by my lack of lettuce. I did however have a head of cabbage. I didn't want cole slaw, this was lunch, not a side dish.

The thought of slaw got me thinking about Chinese chicken salad, a favorite at potlucks and family gatherings. Its basically a sweet dressing over cole slaw mix with fried ramen noodles and a bit of chicken. Not the healthiest of salads but it sure is good! I could cast my Kitchen Witch spell over this one, its overdue for a face lift anyway!

I decided that the dressing needed to have more acidy and less syrupy sweetness. An easy fix, I upped the vinegar and lowered the sugar content. A dash of crushed red pepper flakes add a mild spice and the clove of garlic scents the dressing. This dressing was starting to take on a more grown up feel. I kept the salad pretty basic, added a bit of crunchy celery and removed the ramen noodles which keeps it on this side of healthy. Almonds were standard in the original and I didn't see any reason to omit them either. Rather than chicken I went with salad sized shrimp, I found them on sale for $2 a bag and was looking for a place to use them.

This salad looks and tastes delicious in its grown up version. I hope you enjoy it too.

Asian slaw with shrimp salad
makes 2 servings
1/2 head cabbage sliced very thin
1 carrot shredded
2 stalks celery sliced thin
small bunch chives (about 15 stems) minced
1/4 c almonds, chopped
sprinkle sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/2 c White Wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T soy sauce
dash crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic smashed

Small salad shrimp, 1 oz per person

Make dressing by dissolving the sugar in the vinegar. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and boil for 4-5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.

Remove garlic clove and discard. Add about 1/4 c oil to the vinegar mixture. Shake well to emulsify.



Salad prep:
Shred cabbage and carrot. Add sliced celery and chives, toss well to distribute evenly. Add 2 T dressing and toss again, this will help soften the cabbage slightly.

Place slaw on a plate, top with almonds and sesame seeds. Add shrimp and drizzle additional dressing over top.

Nutrition Facts Asian style dressing provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 176.7
Total Fat 14.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 931.9 mg
Potassium 25.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.7 g
Dietary Fiber 0.1 g
Sugars 13.2 g
Protein 0.5 g

Nutrition Facts for Asian slaw with shrimp salad provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
2 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 138.2
Total Fat 1.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 55.3 mg
Sodium 245.1 mg
Potassium 1,265.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24.3 g
Dietary Fiber 10.1 g
Sugars 1.4 g
Protein 11.7 g