Asian-inspired dressings - part 2 - Thai/Vietnamese Slaw dressing

We served this salad at our wedding rehearsal dinner - and I have been making it for the nearly 20 years since. I've edited it after a trip to Vietnam - to replace the white vinegar with lime juice and sugar with agave, but both are fine substitutions. 

It is a keeper - a great pot-luck salad because it holds up well after you dress it and doesn't have mayonnaise, if you are worried about it going bad in the heat. Don't dress it until right before you eat though, so the cabbage stays crisp. 

I make my dressings in a jar with a tight lid or a clean glass bottle that formerly housed purchased dressing. I have kept a few of those around since I never buy salad dressing. All the fakey ingredients in them just scare me. 

Here it is with sesame-crusted seared tuna and some sauteed lemon shrimp. Easy!

Thai/Vietnamese Cole Slaw Dressing 

1-2 tbsp agave <preferred> OR sugar (to taste)

3 tbsp Thai fish sauce

3 tbsp lime juice <preferred> OR 1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tbsp water

One large clove of garlic, pushed through a press or chopped very fine
A shake of chili flakes if you like a kick

Shake it all up until the agave/sugar dissolves and refrigerate until use. If you let the dressing sit together a few hours the flavor is better. 

Toss with whatever you have and like, some things I use: 

• Shredded green cabbage (soak in ice water 2 hours before slicing and it will be super crispy - or open a bag of it, pre-shredded)
• IF you use red (purple) cabbage, BE SURE to rinse it thoroughly or your will end up with a purple mess of a salad, I have done this so many times
• Chopped kale, any type
• Sliced, grated, chopped carrots
• Chopped green onion
• Cucumber, sliced
• Julienned jicama 
• Sliced baby sweet peppers - red and yellow
• Sliced snow peas
• Bean sprouts
• Segments of oranges or grapefruit (replaces pomelo we had in the Vietnamese version)
• Chopped dry-roasted peanuts or sliced almonds, or toasted sesame seeds