Japanese salads are so fresh and tasty, I love them. Here is a simple salad made with white cabbage, but you could add any other shredded raw veg to vary the slaw. The best thing about it is that there’s no mayonnaise, something I really don’t like much. There’s always a bit of sugar in Japanese cooking, essential for the umami balance of flavours…but I try to minimise it as much as possible.

Serves 4

• 1 very small white cabbage, shredded
• 1 small white onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 60 ml rice vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• light soy sauce, to taste (I use kikkoman)
• salt and pepper
• lots of toasted sesame seeds or nori sprinkles – a mix of toasted sesame seeds, nori seaweed, and chill flakes

Method

• Shred the onion and cabbage and soak in iced water for 5 minutes
• Drain and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes – it needs to be really cold
• Mix up the dressing ingredients and pour over the cabbage/onion mix in a large bow
• Season and sprinkle with the seeds
• Ready!