Green papaya slaw is one of those dishes that somehow manages to be light, creamy, crunchy, and deeply satisfying all at once. Inspired by the bright, crunchy papaya salads you’ll find across Southeast Asia, this version leans creamy thanks to a coconut milk–based dressing. If read more
This time of year, holiday tables tend to be loaded with rich, cozy dishes — slow cooked braises, roasts, creamy casseroles, buttery desserts — and while that’s absolutely part of the joy, it’s also when something light and crisp becomes especially welcome. This Shrimp and read more
I love a good Caesar salad, but sometimes the classic version can feel a little heavy. And if I’m being honest, I don’t always feel up to the task of separating eggs and whisking together a mayo from scratch. That’s why I decided to ditch the egg and oil and instead use silken tofu for a dressing that’s fast, creamy, and lighter than the original. It’s silky, tangy, and packed with umami from anchovies, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Japanese Worcestershire sauce, which gives it a subtle sweetness and depth that makes this version truly special. I like to use a mix of romaine and kale for the best of both worlds — the romaine adds crunch and freshness, while the finely sliced kale brings a little chew and earthiness. Together they make the salad more interesting and satisfying. I also add a few paper-thin slices of red onion for a touch of sharpness and color. This Kale Caesar Salad is perfect for an easy lunch or as a crisp, refreshing side with dinner. Best of all the dressing keeps for a week, so you can make extra and use it on everything from roasted vegetables to grain bowls, so let’s get into it.
Many decades ago when my husband and I were working in Chicago for a well known restaurant group, one of the chefs came over from his restaurant to get some tofu. He was experimenting with a new Caesar dressing. I didn’t get to try his version, but it was the source for my own inspiration.
I start making my Kale Caesar Salad by whipping up the dressing. You can use either a traditional blender or an immersion one. Silken tofu gives the dressing its creamy texture without any egg or oil — it blends up smooth and light in seconds. Add 4 ounces of the tofu (a quarter of the container) to either the blender pitcher or your immersion blender cup:
Add the minced garlic:
Now, I don’t want to hear that you “don’t like anchovies”. Don’t even think about skipping them — they’re what make a Caesar taste like a Caesar. Trust me, it won’t be fishy, just delicious. Start with just 1 if you’re really cautious. But I think once you taste the savory umami pop they add, you’re going to use all 3.
Now we’ll add the far less controversial ingredient- parmigiana reggiano! Please splurge and get the real deal. The fake stuff cannot match the amazing flavor. You can get it already ground or shave off what you need from a block.
Next I add Worcestershire sauce. I prefer to use a Japanese brand as it is milder and a tad sweeter:
Then the red wine vinegar is added. You can use 1/2 a lemon instead if you prefer:
Every good Caesar dressing needs some olive oil:
A tablespoon of Dijon mustard:
Season with salt and pepper:
And finally a little water to help it blend:
Blend until smooth and creamy. The dressing keeps for a week so you can make it ahead and enjoy a couple Kale Caesar Salads during the week.
With our Caesar dressing ready it’s time to assemble the salad. Trim the romaine and cut it into generous bite sized pieces:
Then it’s time to prepare the kale. (If you don’t love raw kale, check out my tip in the notes below the recipe!) First strip the leaves from the rough, woody stems:
Stack the leaves and roll them like a cigar, and then cut the kale into thin ribbons, as thin as you can get them:
Wash the greens and then spin them dry. Alternately if you don’t have a salad spinner you can gently dry them in clean dishtowels. You don’t want to skip this step, kale can be gritty.
The last thing to do is to thinly slice the red onion. I like to soak it in water for a couple minutes to remove it’s sharp bite.
Soak slices for 5 minutes:
Now all that’s left to do is assemble your kale caesar salad and dig in!
Add a little more cheese!
I hope you love this lightened up caesar salad as much as I do! Make it this week and let me know what you think! Tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we wanna see your creations!
Feeling the salad vibes? Check out my Salad Archives, there’s tons of inspo like my Wild Mushroom Salad or this simple Lemon Chicken Salad.
Make Dressing combine all of the dressing ingredients in a tall cup or a blender cup, if you are using a standard blender. Blend the ingredients well with an immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the Greens Cut the romaine lengthwise into strips and then cut across the strips to yield largish bite sized pieces. Strip the kale leaves off of the stem. Discard the hard fibrous stems. Stack the kale leaves and then roll them into a tight cylinder, like a cigar. Cut the kale into very fine slices, as thin as you can manage. Wash the greens and then spin them in a salad spinner to dry.
Slice the onion as thinly as you can manage and then dunk the sliced onion into a bowl of ice water. Let the onions soak for 5 minutes which will tame the sharp bite. Drain well and set aside.
Arrange the Salad Place the greens onto a large platter and scatter with the red onions. Serve with the dressing, grated cheese, and black pepper on the side.
*The dressing yields a little over a cup. Save any unused dressing for another meal. The dressing keeps for a week.
*This dressing is not a tart Caesar dressing. If you prefer more zing, increase the red wine vinegar to 2 Tablespoons.
*Japanese Worcestershire sauce is milder and more flavorful than American Worcestershire. It is available at Asian grocery stores. I like the Bulldog brand, which is common. If you prefer to use American worcestershire sauce, do not add any additional vinegar until tasting it first.
*Please make the dressing with the anchovies, even if you don’t normally like them. I promise it will not be fishy. Start with 1 anchovy fillets for beginners. I like to use 4.
*I don’t mind eating raw kale but you can also massage the kale to break it down and make it easier and more pleasant to consume. This process decreases the volume of kale so you may want to add double the amount of kale in the recipe. To massage the kale, add the cut kale into a large bowl and drizzle a couple teaspoons of neutral oil, a pinch of salt and a couple teaspoons of red wine vinegar over the kale.
Use clean hands to massage the leaves. Vigorously rub, scrunch, and squeeze the kale between your fingers for 2-5 minutes. The leaves will soften, becoming darker green and shiny, and the volume of kale in the bowl will shrink. Let the kale sit for 5-10 minutes, which will allow the marinade to further break down the leaves.
Keywords: kale, tofu, healthy, caesar, salads, quick
Even though the calendar says fall and pumpkin spice everything is everywhere—here in South Florida it still feels like summer most days. Luckily, eggplant is one of those late-summer-into-fall vegetables that bridges the gap between seasons beautifully. That’s why I love having light, chilled dishes read more
When the weather is hot and sticky, I crave cool, crunchy, and refreshing flavors. Enter Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobaegi)—a summertime staple in Korea that’s as vibrant as it is addictive. Think crisp cucumbers bursting with a garlicky, spicy filling of chives, carrots, and gochugaru. read more
If you’re looking for a light, bright, flavor-packed dish that’s perfect for summer, this Chilled Shrimp with Asian Pesto has your name all over it. Sweet, juicy shrimp are gently poached in a fragrant bath of herbs and aromatics, then paired with a bold and herbalicious pesto that’s a little nutty, a little creamy, and totally addictive. I’m talking cilantro, cashews, lemongrass, and just enough fish sauce to keep things funky—in the best way. It’s cool, refreshing, and ideal for entertaining or a no-stress dinner that still feels special. You can make everything ahead and serve it cold, making it perfect for a potluck dinenr. We are entering the real dog days of summer and eating cold food is just the vibe right now, so let’s get into it.
The first step is to make the pesto. But this is not your Nonna’s pesto. This vibrant green sauce is bursting with bold, Southeast Asian-inspired flavor. It’s rich, herbaceous, a little funky, and endlessly versatile. Use it as a dip for grilled meats or veggies, smear it on sandwiches, drizzle it over noodles or rice bowls, or toss it with roasted potatoes. Once you’ve got a jar in the fridge, you’ll keep finding excuses to spoon it onto everything.
Start by soaking the cashews. This make them easier to blend.
Then everything gets blended in a food processor. (If you have a high speed blender you could use that instead.)
Toss the cilantro, lemongrass, and garlic into the bowl of your food processor:
Juice the lemon, which adds a burst of citrusy flavor but also helps the cilantro stay green.
Then add the salt:
Then add the oil. I like to use avocado, but canola would work well here too.
Now comes the funky powerhouse, the fish sauce! It’s only a little bit but it really adds umami depth to this pesto.
Lastly toss in the cashews and the mayo. I know mayonnaise may seem like a strange ingredient in pesto, but hear me out. It adds a subtle creaminess and since I use a very small amount of oil, especially compared to the half cup or more that is traditionally used in an Italian style pesto, the little bit of mayo helps everything bind together. Trust the process!
Now that everything is in the processor it’s time to give it whirl:
You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix it again.
Scrape the Asian pesto into a bowl and put it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the shrimp.
Poaching the shrimp gently in an aromatic broth keeps them juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked—no rubbery shrimp here! It also subtly infuses them with flavor, since I poach them with cilantro and aromatics. Plus, it’s an easy, fuss-free method that works like a charm every time.
Combine the poaching ingredients to a large pot and bring to a simmer.
Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes:
At this point you can strain the poaching liquid to get rid of all the solids, but I find it easier to just poach the shrimp with everything. Bring it back to a boil and add the shrimp:
Turn off the heat and stir the shrimp. Let the poach for precisely 3 minutes-this is the sweet spot to get them perfectly cooked through and tender without overcooking.
Drain the shrimp.
Rinse them under cold water if, like me, you poached them along with the aromatics, and put them in the fridge until cold. I like to pile these onto a serving platter and serve with the pesto alongside.
These are begging to be served with my Yuzu Margaritas, for a perfect summer nosh. Let me know what you enjoy them with, we love hearing from you. And don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, I want to see what’s cooking in YOUR kitchen!
Ingredients:
Pesto Ingredients:
Poaching Ingredients:
Make the Pesto Cover the cashews with water and soak for 45 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.
Combine all of the pesto ingredients, including the soaked cashews, into the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is ground to a chunky paste. Scrape the pesto into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the poaching liquid Combine the poaching ingredients into a large pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the liquid through a colander and discard the solids. Return the poaching liquid to the pot. (I am lazy and do not strain out the solids but instead continue on to the next step, leaving the aromatics in the pot. You can do the same, but know that some of the cilantro stems may stick to the shrimp after cooking down.)
Poach the shrimp Bring the poaching liquid to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and set a timer for 3 minutes. The shrimp will cook in the hot liquid without overcooking the shrimp. Drain the shrimp in a colander, discard liquid, and place the shrimp in the fridge until cold.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving plate and serve with the pesto on the side. Serve chilled shrimp with Asian pesto immediately.
Keywords: pesto, herbs, shrimp, chilled, summer, lemongrass
Hi there!
I’m Kazu, a restaurateur in Miami who wants to show you all of the best tricks for creating restaurant quality Asian meals at home.
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