I singled this dish out at a work potluck. It was a holiday party so it's no surprise that it was the lone dish on the conference room table that actually included vegetables. I had a bite and immediately fell in love with it. I'm sold because, while it appears healthy (and, for the most part, is healthy), it actually includes Ramen as one of the main ingredients. Which is, of course, not healthy. But, oh well, at least you get some cabbage, carrots, and almonds. What's the saying...just a spoon full of Ramen?
By the way, when I asked my co-worker for the recipe she called the dish "Chinese Coleslaw," which I found odd because I've always thought of Ramen as Japanese. After some extensive internet research on Wikipedia I found that ramen noodles actually originated in China, not Japan. Who knew. Anyway, I place quotes around the name of the dish because no matter where ramen noodles come from, no one in China is eating this cole slaw. Plus, I like to put quotes around things; especially air quotes. And sometimes I get carried away and use air quotes when they are not really called for. Yes, I'm one of those people.
I recently made this dish for dinner on New Year's Eve. It paired nicely with homemade egg rolls and crab rangoon.
Chinese Coleslaw
Feeds 8
Slaw
1/2 large head of cabbage, shreded
2 to 3 carrots, sliced thinly with a vegetable peeler
4 to 5 green onions, chopped (use the white and light green portion only)
2 packs chicken Ramen noodles, cooked according to package instructions, except don't add the seasoning (but save it because it will go in the dresssing - see below)
5 tablespons sesame seeds, more to taste
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (do not skip toasting the almonds, it adds a lot to the flavor balance)
fresh cilantro chopped (to taste)
Dressing
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 packs seasoning chicken Ramen
Directions
Assemble slaw ingredients, prepare dressing by shaking ingredients together (use an empty jar!), and mix. Serve immediately or refrigerate for use in one or two days.
