Berry Sesame Slaw

We all have those tight-lipped 'friends' who refuse to divulge a requested recipe or, worse yet, grudgingly share but 'accidentally' omit a few, crucial ingredients. My first thought when I tasted this sublime salad at a recent potluck dinner was that I fervently hoped it hadn't been contributed by one of these closed-mouth cooks. How grateful I was to discover that this dish had been made by my friend Sydelle, who is undoubtedly one of the most generous-spirited people I know, and she was only too happy to share. In the spirit of good karma, I'm passing this gem on to you, and urge you to the same. Life is an echo and you get what you give.

SALAD 7 cups shredded cabbage & carrot* 1 cup shredded red cabbage (optional) 80g candied pecans/toasted walnuts 1/3 cup cranberries 1/3 cup chopped chives 1/4 cup sesame seeds DRESSING 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup canola oil 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons soya sauce 1: Toast sesame seeds in a dry frying pan till lightly golden. 2: Combine salad ingredients and whisk dressing together. 3: Dress salad up to 1 hour before serving. COOK'S NOTES: You can use store bought carrot and cabbage and quantities given are approximate. If you have less, then use less dressing, and feel free to add more pecans or cranberries. You could also add toasted sunflower seeds if desired. Don't omit the toasted sesame - you can even add more - as it's the sesame that makes this salad very different. Take this basic blueprint and make it your own.