Levantine Cabbage Salad with Lemon and Mint (Salatet Malfouf)
We make Levantine cabbage salad the way it is served on the tables of the Levant, white cabbage shredded with only lemon, garlic, and mint.
We distinguish it from Western coleslaw that is drowned in mayonnaise and carrot, because this is a sour, refreshing salad relying on olive oil and acidity, accompanying grills and fried dishes with lightness rather than weighing them down.
Shred the white cabbage into very thin slices as in coleslaw, because the thinness is what makes the cabbage absorb the dressing and soften a little.
Mash the garlic with the salt until it becomes a smooth paste, because this distributes its flavor throughout the whole salad instead of scattered sharp pieces.
Wash the mint leaves, gather them, and cut them into thin ribbons, then add them to the cabbage.
Mix the cabbage with the mashed garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, and stir well until the slices are coated, and serve it immediately because cabbage wilts quickly.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Levantine Cabbage Salad with Lemon and Mint (Salatet Malfouf), and how to fix them:
Shred it thinner and rub it with the dressing between your fingertips for a minute, so it softens a little without losing its crunch.
Reduce its amount or mash it finer with the salt, because mashing breaks its sharpness and distributes it.
Dress it at the moment of serving, not before, because salt and lemon draw out the cabbage's water quickly.
Serve it the same day, because cabbage wilts quickly after dressing and loses its crunch.
Keep the shredded, undressed cabbage in the refrigerator for up to two days, and dress it when needed.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| fresh mint | dried mint | one tablespoon instead of 10 g fresh | Dried is more concentrated, so a smaller amount is enough. |
| lemon juice | apple cider vinegar | same volume, 45 ml | The acidity becomes more penetrating and less tender. |
| white cabbage | red cabbage | same weight, 400 g | The color is prettier and the crunch a little stronger. |
| garlic | garlic powder | 1 g instead of 6 g fresh | The flavor is lighter, so adjust by tasting. |
| Ingredient | Half amount | Base amount (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| White cabbage | 200 g | 400 g | 800 g |
| Lemon juice | 22 ml | 45 ml | 90 ml |
| Olive oil | 30 ml | 60 ml | 120 ml |
| Garlic | 3 g | 6 g | 12 g |
| Fresh mint | 5 g | 10 g | 20 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 5 g | 10 g |
Shred the cabbage very thin and mash the garlic with the salt before mixing, because mashed garlic dissolves into the dressing while large pieces give an unbalanced sharp bite.
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