From a series of recipes designed by Xali: Crunchy Wombok & Nut Salad
Xali is Australia’s first training, dietary and wellness program to cater to women going through biological changes with a focus on perimenopause and menopause.
Created by Northern Rivers resident Naz de Bono, Xali is a daily personalised program that provides workouts, recipes, education and support to women based on the 4 pillars of Move, Eat, Learn & Connect. Xali creates recommendations for women bursting with energy but also provides options for the days when they want to pull back.
Crunchy Wombok & Nut Salad
Wombok is also known as Chinese cabbage, napa cabbage or siu choy. It belongs to the family Brassicaceae, commonly known as the brassica or mustard family. This is a great recipe if you have wombok on hand and you will also need to have a batch of our Cashew Cream Mayo available too.
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
● ¼ wombok, shredded
● 1 whole celery stick, finely chopped
● ¼ red capsicum, finely shredded
● ¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
● ¼ cup raw cashews, roughly chopped
● 1 ½ tbsp cashew sauce
● 1 tsp black sesame seeds
● ¼ tsp salt
● ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
● Edible flowers to garnish
Method:
1. Combine shredded wombok, celery, red capsicum, cashews and walnuts in a large bowl.
2. Fold in 1 tbsp Cashew Cream Mayo and toss well.
3. Smear remaining Cashew Cream Mayo onto a serving plate.
4. Top with salad and sprinkle with black sesame seeds, season with salt and crackled white pepper and garnish with edible flowers.
Cashew Cream Mayo:
If you have never tasted a plant-based nut sauce or cashew cream, you are in for a treat - and it's really easy too!
*This recipe requires about 24 hours including soaking and fermenting time.
Ingredients:
● 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 1 hour minimum
● ¾ cup water
● 1 tsp probiotics, powder from 1 capsule
● ½ tsp white miso paste, or to taste
● 1 tsp salt, or to taste
Method:
1. Soak the cashews for at least 1 hour, but no more than 4. Do not over-soak them as they can become slimy and may discolour. Drain the cashews in a colander, pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Place soaked cashews in a high-speed blender, add a little water, the probiotic powder (discard the outer capsule) and white miso paste.
3. Note that if stored too long, the cashew cream may split and become watery, so I usually store for around 3 days, maybe 4!
4. Blend all ingredients until silky smooth. You might need a little more or less water, just don't make it too runny. it should be the consistency of thick cream.
5. Transfer to a glass bowl or jug, cover with a tea towel or cheesecloth then leave to culture for 24 hours at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
6. The next day check the flavour, season with plenty of salt to flavour, you will be surprised how much salt you need, so enjoy this in moderation.
7. Use immediately or transfer to a sterilsed jar, seal and chill for up to 3 days. Check the flavour each day as it will continue to ferment.
Image: Supplied