Vitamin salad
Salat Vitaminny (салат Витаминный): Soviet canteen slaw of cabbage, carrot and apple with oil and vinegar
"Vitamin" salad was the bright spot on every Soviet stolovaya tray, scooped from a steel tray beside the cutlets and buckwheat, and it is still how many Russians start a light lunch. Fresh white cabbage, carrot and green apple are rubbed with salt and sugar, then dressed simply with sunflower oil and vinegar, so it tastes crisp, juicy and sweet-sour. It goes with almost anything hot and is a good way to use half a cabbage. A common mistake is skipping the squeeze: crushing the cabbage with salt for a minute or two softens it and draws out juice that becomes part of the dressing. Grate the apple last so it does not brown. Chef's tip: unrefined, toasted-seed sunflower oil gives the true canteen flavour; a splash goes a long way.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz white cabbagefinely shredded
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 carrotscoarsely grated
- 1 green applecored
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp unrefined sunflower oil
- 2 spring onions (optional)sliced
- ⅛ oz fresh dill (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 14 oz white cabbage in a large bowl with the ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar and squeeze it firmly with your hands for 2 minutes, until it softens and turns glossy and juicy.
2 minStep 2: Add the 2 carrots and toss through.
1 minStep 3: Grate the 1 green apple straight into the bowl, skin on, and mix at once with the 1 tbsp cider vinegar so it stays pale.
2 minStep 4: Dress with the 2 tbsp unrefined sunflower oil, add 2 spring onions and ⅛ oz fresh dill and toss. Taste, adding a pinch more salt or sugar until it is clearly sweet-sour.
2 minStep 5: Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices mingle. It keeps in the fridge for a day.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vitamin salad take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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