Mango Sesame Coleslaw

Mango Sesame Coleslaw

As the weather finally improves in my neck of the woods, my thoughts turn to grilling season with eager anticipation of barbecued chicken, grilled fish, chops and steaks. Although I am a major carnivore at heart, I do like to balance all that grilled meat with beautiful, colorful and healthy salads and vegetable side dishes to brighten up our summertime dinner plates.

I am a big fan of adding fruit to salads, and it has always been an easy, tasty and very successful way of getting the kids (and me) to eat lots of vegetables. Some beautiful ripe mangoes on sale at the local market this week were the inspiration for this simple, sweet and slightly spicy salad. I know it will return more than once at family dinners this summer.

The salad consists of:

• 2 cups chopped savoy or Napa cabbage
• 1/2 large red pepper sliced
• 1 large mango, sliced

For the dressing 

• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili flakes 
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (or to taste)

Shake all the dressing ingredients together in a covered bottle and pour over the salad ingredients. Toss together well and serve with a garnish of toasted sesame seeds.