I fell in love with a slaw while dining at a beer pub in Hawaii. I know! Who would expect to find a truly great coleslaw in a small town pub? But this slaw was beyond delicious. The worst part was that I hadn’t ordered a meal that came with the slaw. But my dear friend Vicki offered me a bite of hers because she thought it was so good. Well – one bite was all it took. I was hooked.

So as soon as I got back home, I started researching Hawaiian Won Bok Slaw dressing recipes. Of course first I tried searching on the brew pub site. No luck. Then I searched for Hawaiian Won Bok Slaw recipes. I found a couple of dressing recipes that at first glance looked like they contained the same ingredients as the dressing on the slaw that I had tasted. Close, but not one of the recipes looked just right. So I took bits and pieces from several recipes and came up with my first endeavor.

My first attempt was OK, but it was lacking. So I changed one ingredient and added a couple of others, and served the salad to our friends Jim and Margo. Well needless to say, it was a success. 

Now I have no idea whether or not this recipe is even close to what I tasted in Hawaii. It actually tastes like a Hungarian coleslaw if truth be told. But in the final analysis, who cares?!?! It’s delicious and easy to prepare. Besides, what’s in a name anyway?

• 1 T. sugar
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ c. vegetable oil
• 2 T. mayonnaise
• 3 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds
• 4-5 c. thinly sliced Napa cabbage
• ½ c. shredded carrots

Whisk together the sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. (Dry mustard tends to clump, so this simple step alleviates the problem.) Whisk in the oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, and poppy seeds. (Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.)

Combine the cabbage and carrot in a salad bowl. 20-30 minutes before serving, pour the dressing on the cabbage, toss, and refrigerate. Give the salad a good toss again just before serving.