Spiral Shredded Salad with Miso Dressing

 

I was going to make a chopped salad with a miso-ginger vinaigrette. I had a recipe to start from, but was planning to just use the idea, the approximate ratios, and the dressing, adding whatever vegetables I had available.

And then a friend went nuts with her spiralizer, seemingly experiencing such kitchen bliss that I felt shame that my spiralizer had spent the last two years sitting in its box, unused. Because there was the potential for something good to eat, shame became inspiration, and I took my spiralizer to whatever vegetables would tolerate it to make this salad. What I had on hand that worked was daikon radish and cucumber.

 

You wouldn’t need to use a spiralizer to make this dish. It just makes it more fun! You could simply shred your vegetables as I did the Napa cabbage or diagonal or matchstick slice them as I did the sugar snap peas. In the end, let’s be honest: you could chop your vegetables, too.

This dressing is zesty but mellowed by mild miso. I used white miso, but whatever you like will be fine. The ginger is sharp, but something needs to stand up to the radish I threw in the mix. I’m also convinced you could make the dressing with citrus juices instead of the rice vinegar, or add some garlic and chiles.

 

I’m glad I pay attention to my friends, because the end of my spiral procrastination was way too much fun to have missed. If you’re in the market for a spiralizer, you can get them almost anywhere and I, along with some wiser folks on the foodie internet, like my hand-cranked adjustable spiralizer. I know this all may be going out of fashion (at least I hope pretending spiralized zucchini is spaghetti is going out), but I’ve never been fashionable. Just hungry.

Spiral Shredded Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing

Based on a recipe in Cooking Light magazine (from long ago)

1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

1 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas

1 cup spiralized or shredded daikon radish

1 cup spiralized or shredded cucumber

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons white or yellow miso

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, snap peas, radish, cucumber, and cilantro.

2. In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, miso, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in the sesame seeds.

3. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to coat.

Makes 4-6 servings. The salad is still delicious after a day or two in the refrigerator, but it will get significantly watery.

Other recipes like this one: Cabbage and Chard Slaw with Orange-Tahini Dressing, Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Peanut Dressing, Napa Cabbage Slaw with Asian Dressing, Radish and Carrot Slaw with Zesty Citrus Dressing