Sweet Chili Peach Napa Slaw

Light, crispy coleslaw is essential to any barbecue or picnic spread. But mayo that’s been sitting in the sun for a few hours? Not so much. This year, we’ll be serving the sweet chili peach napa slaw—a mayonnaise-free spin on the summer side—from Natalie Keng’s new cookbook, Egg Rolls & Sweet Tea, instead.

“The sauce is inspired by a natural duck sauce that my family made at home,” writes Keng. “I like using napa cabbage instead of regular cabbage because it’s lighter, better absorbs the sauce and is easy to slice into thin strips.”

The dressing is as delicious and seasonal as it is versatile. Use it as a marinade for fish, a sauce for sauteed shrimp or a topping for pulled pork sliders.

^{Excerpted from Egg Rolls & Sweet Tea © 2023 by Natalie Keng. Photography © 2023 by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn. Reproduced by permission of Gibbs Smith. All rights reserved.}

Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw

Sweet Chili Peach Dressing

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper jelly

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon peach puree

1½ teaspoons tomato paste

⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon sriracha (optional)

1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Slaw

¼ cup sweet chili peach dressing

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon white pepper

3 cups finely shredded napa cabbage

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 orange or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ cup thinly sliced snow peas

3 scallions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt, to taste

Mandarin orange segments, toasted cashews, peanuts and/or sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, pepper jelly, honey, peach puree, tomato paste, vinegar, salt and sriracha (if using). Slowly drizzle the avocado oil then the sesame oil into the bowl, vigorously whisking the mixture to emulsify the dressing. Use immediately or transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for later use. Whisk again before serving if the oil and vinegar separate.

2. Make the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet chili peach dressing, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and white pepper. Add the cabbage, bell peppers, snow peas and scallions to the sauce and toss to combine. Add salt to taste. Garnish with Mandarin orange segments, toasted cashews, peanuts and/or roasted sesame seeds.