Most leafy greens in India contain too many insects to eat raw. As a result, Indian salads primarily consist of marinated non-leafy vegetables. Since bugs can be more easily removed from cabbage, it became one of the few widespread Indian greens. The flavor of this cabbage salad is very different from the European coleslaw.
Spinach salads, both raw and cooked, have long been popular in the Mediterranean and Near East. It is served on Rosh Hashanah, especially when combined with other symbolic foods such as pomegranates.