Easy Rainbow Slaw (Jain, No Onion No Garlic)
Crunchy cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper slaw with a tangy yogurt-lemon dressing and mustard-cumin-hing tempering. No onion, no garlic.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
For the slaw
- 2 cups green cabbage finely shredded
- 2 cups red cabbage finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot shredded, about 1 large
- 1 red bell pepper thin strips
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper thin strips
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped, optional
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts roughly crushed, optional
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt not Greek, or thin Greek with a spoon of water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala or black salt kala namak
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the tempering
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch hing asafoetida
Instructions
Shred the vegetables
- Core and finely shred the green and red cabbage. Shred the carrot. Slice the peppers into thin strips. Chop the cilantro.
- Combine everything in a large mixing bowl. If making more than an hour ahead, keep the vegetables undressed in the fridge.
Optional squeeze for extra crunch
- If the cabbage seems wet, or you salted it while prepping, toss with a pinch of salt and rest 10 minutes.
- Squeeze handfuls in a clean kitchen towel, then return the cabbage to the bowl with the carrot and peppers.
Mix the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, chaat masala or black salt, salt, and black pepper.
- Taste; it should be tangy and a little savory. Add a teaspoon of water if it is too thick to pour.
Temper and toss
- Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the cumin seeds and hing.
- Swirl 5 to 10 seconds until fragrant, then pour the hot tempering over the vegetables.
- Add the yogurt dressing and cilantro. Toss until every ribbon is coated. Fold in optional peanuts. Taste and add more lemon if needed.
Rest and serve
- Let the slaw sit 5 to 10 minutes so the cabbage softens just enough at the edges.
- Serve cool beside dal-rice or other Indian meals.
Notes
Dress just before serving for maximum crunch, or use the squeeze method if prepping early.
Vegan: use thick coconut yogurt or a lemon-oil dressing and keep the tempering.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; drain any liquid and refresh with lemon before serving.
For another raw crunch later, try a broccoli crunch salad or a carrot beet salad when you want a different vegetable base.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!