#70_ORIENTAL SALAD

ANIKKA'S ORIENTAL SALAD

This is always a hit in the Johnson's family get-together whenever our daughter-in-law, Anikka, brings it to the family dinners.

A "hodgepodge salad", it has a lot of different textures and has crunchiness from the ramen noodles, nuts, and cabbage. This salad is a very excellent accompaniment to deli sandwiches or any B-B-Q dinners. Or, it can also be a dinner in itself as it is filled with meats and veggies.

I divided this recipe into 5 parts. Don't be intimidated by the recipe because it is actually easy to do. Basically most of the work is just prep work, then assembly is easy as 1-2-3!

Here's the parts:

a) the dressing

b) the ramen noodles

c) the vegetables
d) cooked chicken breasts

e) to assemble the salad

The dressing can be made ahead of time with these ingredients then refrigerated until needed.

(a) Ingredients for the dressing:

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

3 tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic salt or garlic powder + salt

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. sesame seed oil

Procedure:

1) Combine all of the ingredients listed above in a blender and blend.

2) While blending, emulsify with 3/4 cup of canola oil.

3) Put in a jar with lid and refrigerate until needed.

(b) Sliced almonds, ramen noodles and sesame seeds

This part of the recipe can also be made ahead of time then placed in a plastic container with tight lid.

Ingredients:

1 pgk. sliced almonds (2 oz)

2 pkgs ramen noodles

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Procedure:

1) Combine and spread all three ingredients in a cookie sheet and toast in oven for 8 minutes.

2) Set aside.

Red Cabbage shredded in a food processor

(c) VEGETABLES NEEDED:

1 lb. bag Coleslaw

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

5 sprigs green onions, sliced

Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and refrigerate.

If packaged Coleslaw is not available, you can make your own by finely shredding 1/2 head of green cabbage and 1/2 head of red cabbage and 2 medium size carrots. A food processor will be very handy in this kind of task but do not process both cabbages together at the same time as the red cabbage will bleed through and will make the green cabbage become red.

If not using a food processor, grate carrots with the coarse side of a hand grater. And slice the cabages very thinly with a knife.

(d) THE CHICKEN BREASTS:

As always, I used 3 chicken breasts from the rotisseri chicken from Costco, and cut them into cubes when I made this salad today. (I should be getting some kind of royalty from Costco for plugging their product!!! wishful thinking!). I haven't made this recipe using fresh chicken.

If using fresh chicken breasts, Anikka uses the spice mix from the spice packet from the ramen noodles to season the chicken. Cook the chicken in some water with onions, garlic and the spice mix. Simmer on low heat until the meat is tender. Slice chicken into cubes.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:

1) Into the vegetables in a bowl, add the ramen noodle mixture an the cubed chicken and gently toss together.

2) At this point, you can take the bowl to a pot luck along with the dressing in jar.

3) Just before serving, drizzle the dressing on the salad and mix well.

4) Sprinkle some cashews on top.

ENJOY!!

NOTES:

1) The sesame seed oil is very concentrated oil, therefore, you don't want to put too much of it in the dressing otherwise its flavor will overpower the other ingredients.

2) To emulsify with the canola oil, pour the oil into the vinegar/soy sauce mixture in the blender a little at a time.