Japanese steak houses often serve a spicy slaw rather than green salad as a first course. This recipe whets your appetite for the main course.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups cabbage, shredded*
2 red Jalapeno peppers, very thinly sliced on angle, seeds removed*
1 large carrot, shredded
2 green onions, thinly sliced on angle
1/4 cup rice vinegar*
2-1/2 tspn sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tspn pepper
1/2 tspn sugar
Salt (optional)
Toasted toasted sesame seeds* (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix cabbage, peppers, carrots and onions together in large bowl. Make a simple dressing with the remaining ingredients. Whisk until emulsified. Pour over slaw and mix thoroughly.

Serves 6.

Sprinkling toasted sesame seeds on top of each serving is a nice slight crunch addition. To toast seeds: place a small amount of sesame seeds in a large frying pan and toast over medium high heat. Shake pan to keep seeds from burning. Sesame seeds are toasted when they become fragrant and have slightly darkened. Remove from pan to cool, then sprinkle over slaw.

Hints
*No need to make slaw from scratch. Buy pre-packaged cabbage slaw from supermarket.
*Use rubber gloves when handling hot peppers.
*I like and recommend Nakano brand, original flavor. They also have flavored rice vinegars. All can be sprinkled on salads, no oil needed.
*Sesame seeds can become rancid, they must be stored in a cool place. Storing in the refrigerator vegetable bin works fine. When buying from a bin, you will know if the seeds are fresh by the smell, don't be afraid to bend and sniff. If they smell a bit off, keep walking. If you purchase pre-packaged look for use-by date.

When thinking salad, it's great to go beyond the standard fare. Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens--Inventive Salads with Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken, and More