This is a new spin on the old favourite that is coleslaw, using Chinese cabbage, Brussels sprouts (they are really just little cabbages!) and the fabulous flavours of lemon myrtle and saffron. It’s fab to chop cabbage in the Thermomix but you can also use a knife.
This recipe is a collaboration with saffron and olive farmer Gamila MacRury. Watch the video to learn more about how saffron works with other flavours, and to see lemon myrtle used both fresh and dried.
You can also forget all the fancy flavours and just take the double-cabbage principles of this coleslaw and use a simple mayonnaise, olive oil and vinegar dressing. If you’re a mayo sceptic, just use oil and vinegar!
Serves: 6-8
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tsp lemon myrtle powder, optional (see Tips)
- 5 tbsp boiling water, for steeping lemon myrtle powder, optional (see Tips)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 wombok, roughly chopped
- 6 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
- 60 grams Kewpie mayonnaise (see Tips)
- 10 drops saffron extract, optional (see Tips)
- 4 leaves fresh lemon myrtle, optional, finely chopped (see Tips)
- ½ tbsp walnut oil, or olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 80 grams walnuts
- salt and pepper, to taste
Thermomix Method
1. Place lemon myrtle powder, if using, in a small jug and top with boiling water. Allow to steep for 5 minutes then strain and set aside.
2. Place garlic in mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 8.
3. Add wombok. Shred 3 sec/speed 5. If desired, scrape down and chop a further 1 sec/speed 5.
4. Add a couple of tablespoons of the lemon myrtle ‘tea’ and all other ingredients. Mix 5 sec/Rev/speed 3.
Traditional Method
1. Place lemon myrtle powder, if using, in a small jug and top with boiling water. Allow to steep for 5 minutes then strain and set aside.
2. Finely chop garlic.
3. Finely shred wombok.
4. In a large bowl, combine garlic, wombok, a couple of tablespoons of the lemon myrtle ‘tea’ and all other ingredients. Stir through gently until mixed.
Tips
- Lemon myrtle is probably the best known Australian indigenous ingredient. The plant is a large shrub with large leaves that can be eaten fresh, dried and crushed, or turned into a tea. Lemon myrtle leaves are a little like bay leaves in size and shape, and also in how they can be used. They are fragrant and strongly lemony – just like a bay leaf, adding one to your braise or soup will pack quite a lot of flavour.
- The Australian Superfood Co. stocks lemon myrtle powder and offers a 10 percent discount to friends of danivalent.com. Simply use the code 10DaniValent at checkout.
- Gamila uses saffron essence which you can purchase here. It adds a wonderful, rounded, dusky note to the salad but you can easily leave it out.
- When chopping wombok, you’ll see me remove a couple of unchopped leaves that sat at the top of the mixing bowl after the initial chop. I would rather take these leaves out than risk the rest of the mix turning to mush by chopping for another second or two. Another option is to remove the big bits, scrape out the rest, then put the big bits back in to chop.
- Kewpie mayonnaise is a Japanese mayo; you can use any mayonnaise, or even swap it out for sour cream.
- Use the freshest and best walnuts you can find.
More about this recipe and video
- If you’re a coleslaw lover like me then you’re going to love my Pear Coleslaw. And if you haven’t already made Sharon Flynn’s Kimchi, then now’s the perfect time.
- Here’s another great salad with wombok, this time a Vietnamese coleslaw with lamb!
- Saffron is such a fascinating ingredient. I love it so much that I’ve devoted an entire page to it. Check it out here. Purchase Gamila’s saffron and saffron essence here.
- I love wearing Australian designers. This top is by Olga de Polga.
- The gorgeous plates are by Glenn Tebble.
- We shot this video at Prahran Market.
