Shredded Wombok Salad with Tomato Dressing
The weather is a constant topic of conversation in Melbourne probably because it’s continually changing. We’re either waiting for a cool change, rain, a warm day or perfection in the form of blue skies, light breezes and temperatures around 26C. They say that if you are unhappy with the weather here, wait an hour or two, it will change!
Salad season is upon us. The greengrocers shelves are groaning under the weight of beautiful young spring greens, but I’ve been hanging out for sweet tasty tomatoes, needed to make the dressing for a shredded cabbage, bok choy, fennel and mint leaf salad from Kylie Kwong’s “Simple Chinese Cooking Class.”
It was well worth the wait. I changed nothing in the original recipe. This salad was lively and crunchy, complemented perfectly by the balanced sweet and savoury dressing. I’m a tough critic, but this dressing was perfect, so good, I drank the little pool that remained in the bottom of the bowl after the salad was eaten.
As the two of us chomped our way through lunch, we talked about how it would easily morph into a refreshing dinner for a hot night with the addition of shredded cold chicken or salmon, and how at home the flavours would be served beside wok fried salt and pepper pork belly or barbecued lemongrass pork. Providing the cabbage and mint were included, I think raw snow peas, cucumber, radish, bean shoots and coriander could all be added successfully
Shredded Wombok Salad
1/8th of a large wombok (approx 250g)
2 spring onions
1 head of bok choy
1 bulb of fennel
2 cups fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
tomato dressing:
2 tablespoons light soy
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
80 mls oil ( I used rice bran oil)
3 ripe tomatoes finely chopped
Wash and dry the vegetables the cut them finely with a sharp knife or on a mandolin.
Roughly tear the mint leaves and discard any coarse stems.
Toss the vegetables together in a large bowl.
Whisk together the soy, sugar and lemon juice to dissolve the sugar.
Slowly add the oil whisking continuously until the mixture emulsifies.
Stir in the tomatoes.
Toss the dressing through the salad just before serving.
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27 comments on “Shredded Wombok Salad with Tomato Dressing”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
That sounds DELICIOUS!! I wasn’t sure what to expect for the tomato part of the dressing but chopped summer tomatoes are just perfect. I am so doing this when it warms up here x
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Absolutely stunning photo of your salad, Sandra. It looks so fresh and would make a great lunch or intro to a fine meal. Glad to learn that wombok is what we call Napa cabbage. This is not the time of year to be going from market to market looking for seemingly exotic ingredients, especially when the item is readily available. Been there. 🙂
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Haven’t we all John, and in December the traffic is bad, the crowds are big and tempers are frayed all of which is best avoided!
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Kylie’s recipes are always amazing. Using tomatoes in a dressing with brown sugar and lemon is a really interesting idea, and not a combination I’d have thought to add to wombok. Keen to give it a try as cabbage features heavily on the menu around here in the Summer months. Have a very merry Christmas Sandra!
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and a happy Christmas to you Saskia. The tomato dressing is totally delicious , enjoy.
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It’s funny how weather does effect our daily mood and even our food cravings, isn’t it?You salad is very very original! Love it!
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What a lovely salad! And I always love it when I learn something new about what others name things. Goodness knows why Americans call wombok or Chinese cabbage “Napa cabbage.” But we do.
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I love Kylie’s recipes too. You are so right — every one is a winner — and this looks like no exception.
My partner says that Melbourne doesn’t have weather, it has samples. Some truth in that!
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I like that! Weather samples, very clever! Three cheers for Kylie Kwong, she’s a rare bird in this era of media chefs
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I get cravings for crunchy vegetables too! Especially with a nice dressing like this. And I love to eat slaw in the winter months. It’s dishes like this that make me adore tomato season. And I have to comment on how wonderful your photograph is too! I love the dark background.
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Thanks for the comment about the photo, I was struggling, trying all sorts of places in the house for background and light. I put it on the TV table in front of the speaker, it worked! This salad is a beauty Seana, right up your alley, wait until you can get tasty tomatoes though, they really make a delicious dressing.
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I had to chuckle about you trying all sorts of places in the house for background and light. I have found myself carrying plate of polenta through the house looking for good lighting! I had to really examine myself when I walked into my teenage son’s room with my camera and a plate of food looking for that perfect lighting. I’ll keep your recipe in a safe place waiting for tomatoes.
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Love this! Especially the dressing! Hate to say this but the Southern Highlands weather for once is ‘beating’ that of ‘4-seasons-in-a-day’ Melbourne! 13 days past, present and future of endless violent thunderstorms during which I am using a 2-hour ‘window’ at the moment after multiple lightning strikes into our phone exchange!! With nought working!! The salad: oh yes – soonest!!!!!
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It’s atypically quite tropical in Melbourne, the weather patterns have changed, no one can argue about that! Kwong’s recipes are delicious and reliable….
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Am appreciating what I am reading .. . .[just one bang-bang so far today : 3 pm 😉 !!] Some time to ;look at ‘tomato dressing’ ! Like !!
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Beautiful photo and nice dressing indeed. I like Chinese cabbage served as salad.
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Thanks Stefan, I can see me throwing it over all sorts of different salads
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Being an ex-Melburnite, you have explained the weather situation beautifully. This salad looks the bees knees (or is that the womboks knees?) I have a couple of Kylie Kwongs books and love them. Great photo too.
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Thanks Cheery, only a local can relate to our crazy weather! Definitely the wombok’s knees!!!
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This sounds wonderfully fresh. I love the sound of the dressing for my mixed up Asian style coleslaws I’m making so much at the moment. Gorgeous photos! Xxx
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Thanks Leah, the dressing is terrific! Xxx
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Had a double take with Wombok in the title – knew I’d seen it before on you blog, but with Fae’s comment, It clicked. Chinese cabbage (also called Napa cabbage in the US). My mouth was watering just reading the list of ingredients for the dressing. Even though it is cooling down here, I have this urge for fresh salady things. This one sounds perfect.
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Ohoh, A timely reminder to translate, thanks! It’s a fabulous salad but does rely on tasty tomatoes in the dressing! I crave crisp crunchy salads no matter what the weather!
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This sounds so crisp and refreshing Sandra – absolutely perfect for a summer’s day! Perhaps even festive enough in colour for the Christmas table to serve alongside the prawns and chicken!? 🙂 I have Kylie’s ‘Heart & Soul’ book on the shelf, but I really need to better explore her other cookbooks – such a talented woman!
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We ate at Kwong’s restaurant a couple of years ago when in Sydney. She was seated in the dining space with friends on that night. I only have one of her books. Every recipe I have made had been a winner. This is a truly excellent salad. The other day I chucked some peanuts into it, they worked really well too..
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Wombok is what we call Chinese cabbage, which I like its mild, sweet flavor. Indeed salad is best in the warm weathers. Beautiful photo! 🙂
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I get the cravings for crunchy veg, even during winter. This salad does need good tomatoes however
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