i like transparency. i'm a nosy person, and want to know details so i can plan accordingly. so i appreciate context around the grade breakdowns for my classes (there was one prof who only gave my class a syllabus after massive prodding, which ended up being completely inaccurate), the minutiae of my friends' lives, the itinerary for trips, etc. so i hate the lack of transparency in our government. violence from both sides? covfefe? and while i do understand that any politician, no matter what party or age or race, has some degree of schmooze and bs, this particular politician is particularly adept at being vague.
so fight their opacity with transparency. be loud with your displeasure about what's going on in the world, preferably to your senators. speak up when you see something sketchy or wrong or weird, even if it's easier to stay quiet. and while this is another plea to you to help your community, it's also a reminder for me. sometimes i have an opinion, one worthy of being heard, and i silence it. because i'm afraid that anyone who listens will perceive my words the wrong way, or that it's a reiteration of what other people have already said (my thoughts can sometimes veer towards: these people have already been brave enough to talk about it, therefore i don't have to). i'm going to speak up more. i hope you will, too.
what i have no problems being transparent about is how much i love this nutty mango and napa cabbage slaw (and mangoes in general). it's crunchy, but softened ever so slightly by the dressing that soaks into every crevice and pore within the cabbage. it's minty and fresh, juicy and sweet. creamy too, if you opt in for some sliced avocado on top. rich avo = more energy to make the world a better place, yes?

- 2 mangoes peeled, pitted and julienned
- 1 to 1 ¼ lbs Napa cabbage halved and sliced very thinly
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ red onion minced
- 6 T lime juice from about two limes
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 T toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1" knob ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste
- ¼ cup thinly sliced mint leaves
- ¼ cup toasted peanuts or cashews coarsely chopped
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Toss the mangoes, cabbage, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Whisk the lime juice, vinegar, oil, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and chili paste in a smaller bowl and pour over slaw. Season with salt to taste. You can either serve immediately or marinate for an hour in the fridge. Before serving, toss in the mint and sprinkle with the nuts.
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen.
more nuttiness
Alia | Everyday Easy Eats says
Woo hoo number 1 comment!! Haha 🙂 This has mango in it so I am automatically a fan of this recipe! I am normally not the biggest fan of coleslaw, but this looks delicious! The Asian/Thai-style dressing with the mint leaves and nuts really takes this salad over the top!! Yum! 🙂
Heather says
i'm not a huge fan of coleslaw either, but this is a good one to try if you want something not quite so mayo-y like the typical american kind (: and always yes to mangoes!
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
Mango, cabbage and Thai dressing....what's not to love??? I love all your creations Heather, simple yet so flavorful!!! Have a great week dear.
Heather says
thanks maria!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
I bet that crunch in this salad is amazing!! Looks yummy Heather!! Have a great week darling 🙂 xoxo
Heather says
yes, all the crunch! i'm pretty sure all my food in the summer is filled with crunchy things lol.
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Loving the sound of this slaw! I never would have thought to combine mango and cabbage but they sound wonderful together. Have a great week!
Heather says
i put fruit in a lot of savory things, so mango wasn't too big of a stretch for me! now, durian is another story....
Mary says
I love Napa Cabbage, it’s perfect for salad, but I never thought about adding it to Slaw. The addition of mangos sounds sweet and exotic. I have to try this recipe, it's totally diet friendly 🙂 yay. I’m crazy nosy also lol. It's a bad habit I can’t seem to break.
Laura says
This slaw sound so yummy! I think it would be divine on a fish taco. I appreciate so much your comments on transparency, too! There's a song with the lyric "Say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out - honestly. I wanna see you be brave!" I sing that song to myself and to my kids every chance I get, with the hopes I will listen to it as much as they will.
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
Mango and cabbage!? Genius!! I love salads with nuts - that surprising little crunch is just the best!
Heather says
oh yes! i always throw nuts into my salads. preferably caramelized ones, but even just toasted peanuts like here (:
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
When you say "lack of transparency in our government" you could be talking about South Africa. We have the worst corruption imaginable here!
Heather says
ugh, i'm sorry you have to deal with that. i wasn't concerned with my government prior to this leader (i was spoiled by the last one, and too young to remember much of the one previous to that), but now it seems like it occupies an increasingly exponential amount of attention from everyone.
David @ Spiced says
What a cool combination of flavors, Heather! The mango + cabbage + bit of garlic is something I would never have thought of...but I can totally see how those all play well together. And toasted peanuts for a crunch? Yes, please! I'm all about textures in my food, and this one sounds like it's right up my alley. I'll have to get this made ASAP before the weather turns too cold over here. 🙂
Heather says
i think i was desensitized to fruit in savory things (i'm a pineapple pizza person) as a kid, so mangoes and cabbage and garlic didn't phase me! though now that you put it that way, i can see how it could be a bit unusual 😅
Marie | Yay! For Food says
Love the flavours in this slaw! It has the sweet (Mango... yum) and the sour and spicy flavours from the dressing. So good. 🙂 Love the different textures too.
Heather says
thanks marie!
[email protected] says
I just bought a big head of cabbage! I know it's destiny now
Heather says
perfect! i also really like just plain cabbage steamed with garlic and ginger. there's something so cozy in that (though back in august i would have been like NOPE NO COZY IT'S TOO HOT lol).
Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess says
Heather, this sounds incredible! <3 I would DEVOUR that in no time! haha!
Heather says
thanks kim!!
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
You go girl and kick some ass! You get what you want when you fight for it. Oh and the salad looks great 🙂
Heather says
thanks!! kicking butt with salad sounds awesome to me 😀
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
I have never had Mango like this!! But this sounds delicious! Need to try this soon 🙂
Heather says
oooh you should try mango in something savory!! (once you injest enough plain ones 😉).
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
I agree- speaking up is hard (and kind of intimidating?) but so necessary in today's political climate. Vague is right on the money - literally saying conflicting things in the same week. Ugh. Anyway, this salad looks awesome - I'm a huge fan of mango in summer salads!
Heather says
speaking up is so intimidating! i've been having a weird limbo-y week where i don't want to deal with communicating, because taking a stance is scary (and some of these things aren't even that big of a deal). hope you're doing well, in spite of all the craziness!
All That I'm Eating says
This is such a great take for a coleslaw! Bet the mango is delicious in it.
Irina says
I love the recipe! Thanks for sharing:)
irinathayer.com
Heather says
thanks, irina!