What to do with a crispy head of green cabbage? It’s often used beneath slices of sashimi or tonkatsu. Or it’s paired with kalua pork, and canned corned beef and onions, for classic "local" preparations. There’s stuffed cabbage, too. Southeast Asian cooks employ cabbage as a wrapper for "larb," morsels of spicy seasoned ground meat, using it like a lettuce leaf.

Then there’s coleslaw, the all-American cabbage salad. What about turning coleslaw into an Asian cabbage salad via a variety of flavors and dressings?

But first, prepare your cabbage.

Cabbage contains a lot of water, so when you add dressing to raw cabbage, liquid will be drawn out. Salting cabbage before you mix it with dressing will result in a coleslaw that is crunchy and dressing that doesn’t get watery. 

Shred cabbage with a knife or on a mandoline. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt, about a tablespoon for a whole head. Let sit for a couple of hours. Rinse, then drain well. One method: Squeeze out excess liquid in a clean towel. Now the cabbage is ready for mixing with dressing and other ingredients.

A classic coleslaw can’t be beat; add spicy flavors and incorporate coleslaw into Asian meals.

You can use red cabbage for coleslaw, too. Each of the following recipes makes enough dressing for a 2-pound head of cabbage.

There are as many variations for classic coleslaw as there are cooks. Some use this basic creamy dressing, while others might substitute buttermilk for the mayo. Other cooks might use a vinaigrette-based dressing. It’s really up to the cook.

Do consider add-ins: shredded carrots, slivers of sweet Maui or Spanish red onion, finely sliced fennel, caraway seeds, fresh dill or parsley.

Classic American Creamy Coleslaw

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2-pound head of cabbage, shredded, salted and drained

1 cup shredded carrots, sliced onion, fennel or herbs

Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. In a large salad bowl, toss cabbage with dressing. Mix well and serve. Serves 6-8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 8 servings and 1 cup combined carrots, onion, fennel and herbs): 160 calories, 10 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 2 g protein

Spicy Korean-style Coleslaw

2 tablespoons kochujang (Korean chili paste)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2-pound head of cabbage, shredded, salted and drained

3/4 cup finely chopped green onion

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Whisk together kochujang, soy sauce, honey, oil and vinegar.

In large salad bowl, toss together cabbage and green onion. Pour dressing over veggies and mix well. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve. Serves 6-8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 8 servings): 60 calories, 1.5 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 2 g protein

Southeast Asian-style Cole Slaw

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

1 Hawaiian chili pepper, finely minced

2 tablespoons water

2-pound head of cabbage, shredded, salted and drained

1/2 cup finely shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, pepper and water.

In large salad bowl, toss cabbage and carrots. Pour dressing over veggies and mix well. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro and serve. Serves 6-8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 8 servings): 100 calories, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 4 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.