Lime and poppy seed slaw with curry leaf oil (OTK Shelf Love)
Eat this zingy slaw al fresco, with the spicy vindaloo photographed alongside, though it’s also just as great on its own. Doubling up the turmeric cashews won’t hurt either; they’re super-duper special and will keep for up to a week in a sealed container (though we doubt they’ll last that long).
Serving size
6 people, as a side
Ingredients
1 white cabbage (850g), core removed and head finely shredded (700g)
1–2 carrots (180g), peeled, halved widthways, then thinly sliced and julienned
1 red onion (120g), halved and very thinly sliced
15g picked fresh coriander leaves, with some stem attached
5g picked mint leaves
salt and black pepper
Turmeric cashews:
2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
2½ tsp olive oil
¾ tsp ground turmeric
200g roasted and salted cashews
2 tsp cumin seeds
Curry leaf oil:
1 red chilli, thinly sliced, seeds and all (10g)
3 tbsp olive oil
20 fresh curry leaves (from 2 sprigs)
Lime dressing:
70ml lime juice (from about 4 limes)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp poppy seeds
¼ tsp salt
75ml olive oil
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Line a medium baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Make the turmeric cashews. Put the sugar, oil, turmeric and 2 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil on a medium heat, stirring often, then add the cashews and cumin. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the seeds and nuts are coated in a sticky glaze. Transfer to your prepared baking tray, using a spatula to spread the nuts out. Bake for 14 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Make the curry leaf oil by putting the chilli and oil into a small frying pan. Place it on a medium heat and cook for 7 minutes, or until the chilli starts to develop a shine, then add the curry leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes more, stirring often, until the leaves turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Make the dressing by putting the lime juice, mustard, garlic, poppy seeds and ¼ teaspoon of salt into a small bowl and whisking to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously until incorporated.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, onion, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Pour over the dressing, mixing well to combine, and leave to soften slightly, about 15 minutes. Fold in the herbs, then transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle the curry leaf oil all over and sprinkle with a handful of the turmeric cashews, serving the rest in a bowl alongside, to munch on.