Simple and so good for you! The coconut yogurt-lemon combo in the dressing packs heaps of flavour punch while the freshly ground pepper adds a little kick. The secret to the best texture of purple kale slaw is to massage the leaves with olive oil which makes the colour of the kale really pop. The spring onions could be substituted with chives or even thinly slices red onion. Pumpkin seeds are a good and crunchy substitute for nuts.
The coconut yogurt dressing is what creates the magic in the salad. The lemon juice and olive oil kick for my daily salad dressing, you cannot underestimate the flavour or simplicity of this dressing. The best part of the salad is that you can make the salad ahead dressed except leave the nuts and herbs out to put them before serving. It doesn’t wilt, turn soggy or slimy, or smell funny. The fennel also mellows out over time, so if you aren’t the biggest fan of fennel, try it this way and see if you change your mind.
Purple Kale Slaw with Coconut Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 5 kale leaves stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1 bulb fennel finely sliced or shaved
- 5 silver beet leaves stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby rocket leaves arugula
- ½ cup pine nuts or pumpkin seeds toasted
- 2 spring onions thinly sliced
For the Coconut yogurt Dressing (makes about a cup)
- ¾ cup coconut yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- Generous pinch salt
- Generous grind black pepper
Instructions
To Make the Coconut Dressing
- Mix all the ingredients and use immediately or store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir to recombine before using.
Assemble the kale slaw
- Place the kale, fennel, silver beet , rocket (arugula), pine nuts, parsley and spring onions in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.
- Drizzle with as much coconut yogurt dressing as desired and toss gently to coat.
- Serve immediately for crunchy texture or refrigerate the slaw for at least 20 minutes to soften the kale slightly. You can refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days without the slaw turning soggy.
Video
Other varieties of kale such as Lacinato or Tuscan kale or Nero work well. This variety is more tender and softens much more quickly than its ruffled cousin. Another way of prepping the kale is to slice out the stems and stack all of the leaves on top of each other. Using a sharp knife, make thin ribbon shreds starting from one end. Using the mandolin makes the shaving of fennel bulb much easier and makes paper-thin slices. I used a small mason jar or a glass bottle with a lid to make quick work of emulsifying the dressing. Once blended, add the dressing to the greens and mix with hands.
Tip: If using the curly variety of kale: once shredded, keep the kale separate from the other greens and add half the dressing. Quickly massage the leaves and let it rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. After the kale softens, add the other ingredients and serve.
