Remove any shriveled outer leaves from your cabbage before shredding it for cole slaw.
The term "cole slaw" comes from the Dutch "koolsla" which comes from the words "kool" (meaning cabbage) and "sla" (meaning salad). Despite its name, however, cole slaw is not simply a dish of shredded cabbage. It generally also contains a dressing based on vinegar and/or mayonnaise. Other ingredients in cole slaw may vary, but raisins, sliced or grated onions, pickles and grated carrots are common options. Shredding cabbage correctly is an important step to making your own coleslaw at home, as large chunks of cabbage will not give the correct texture or appearance.
Instructions
1. Pull off any loose, dirty, shriveled or damaged outer leaves from your head of cabbage and discard them.
2. Place the cabbage on the cutting board and slice it in half from bottom to top, cutting through the middle of the thick stalk or core.
3. Slice each half of the cabbage in half, cutting through the middle of the thick stalk or core again. Your cabbage should now be in quarters. Cut across the sharp point of each corner to remove the piece of core remaining on each section of the cabbage.
4. Place one of the flat sides of one of the quarters of cabbage on your cutting board. Hold the cabbage with your non-dominant hand, with your fingers pointed toward the edge where the outside of the cabbage meets the cutting board.
5. Slice the cabbage starting at this end rather than at the opposite, higher side. Depending on your taste and preferences, try to make these slices anywhere from 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch. wide. When the cabbage piece gets too high or narrow to slice comfortably, turn it down onto its other flat side and resume slicing. Repeat this process with each quarter of the cabbage or until you have enough shredded cabbage to make your cole slaw.
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