Spicy Southwestern Slaw
Great topping for tacos--also a nice side dish for any type of Mexican or Tex-Mex entree The measurements are approximate- I usually make this without any. You can use green or purple cabbage, or a combination of the two. Same goes for green or red bell peppers. For extra heat, use an additional jalapeno pepper
Great topping for tacos--also a nice side dish for any type of Mexican or Tex-Mex entree The measurements are approximate- I usually make this without any. You can use green or purple cabbage, or a combination of the two. Same goes for green or red bell peppers. For extra heat, use an additional jalapeno pepper
- Carbohydrate 5.02275325 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 18.8335836824465 g
- Fiber 1.47149664836526 g
- Protein 0.73703175 g
- Saturated Fat 1.40344698449552 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (84g)
- Sodium 20.2782788194445 mg
- Sugar 3.55125660163474 g
- Trans Fat 0.293772058525374 g
- Calories 188 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, onion, red pepper, jalapeno and cilantro. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Swapping apple cider vinegar for fresh lime juice shifts this preparation away from traditional oil-and-vinegar slaws toward a brighter, citrus-forward profile typical of coastal Mexican street foods. Historically, raw vegetable slaws relied on heavy salting to draw out cellular water before dressing was applied, a process that prevents the vegetables from diluting the vinaigrette. When scaling this mixture up for large gatherings, double the canola oil and vinegar proportionally, but increase the cayenne pepper by only half; capsaicin compounds concentrate heavily when multiplied directly. Shredding cabbage uniformly on a mandoline ensures that every piece absorbs the dressing at an identical rate, avoiding soggy patches.
Assessing readiness without analytical equipment relies entirely on structural cues. The mixture achieves proper marination when the shredded cabbage softens just enough to bend without snapping sharply, while the onions lose their pungent raw bite after sitting submerged in the acidic dressing for the required sixty minutes. Storing the bowl in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours deepens the integration, though the red bell peppers will eventually soften past the point of structural crispness.
