Chinese Noodle Salad

Preparation time: 20 minutes and very easy
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1. ½ to one Chinese Napa Cabbage or ¼ savoy cabbage finely shredded. Wash and pat dry before slicing.
2. Few stalks of coriander including stem, roughly sliced
3. 5 green onions including white part, roughly sliced at an angle
4. 200 g lightly roasted slivered almonds, sunflower seeds or pine nuts. Or combination of all. I prefer just using the pine nuts.
5. A packet of instant Ramen noodles. Any brand so long they are the fried or baked type. Try to have an onion flavoured one. Noodles to be broken up into chunky pieces, straight from the packet. Very important, do not cook noodles.
6. Two tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Dressing:
1. ¼ cup Chinese wine Vinegar, balsamic vinegar or white vinegar
2. Dash of freshly mixed ground pepper or white pepper
3. 1/4 cup Castor Sugar
4. 4 tablespoon good quality light soya sauce (Kikkoman is good)
5. Two tablespoon dark sesame oil, ordinary sesame oil or onion oil
6. ½ cup EVO or oil of your choice
7. Seasoning packet from the Ramen noodles.
8. Half a deseeded red chilli, finely sliced, or pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients for dressing in a bowl. Stir well until sugar is dissolved.
2. Combine the cabbage, chopped green onions, coriander, red chilies or chilli flakes (if used) and nuts in a salad bowl. Add dressing and mix well.
3. Just before serving add the noodles, toss gently and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Note:
1. Good flavour combination of nuts and crunchy fried/baked noodles.
2. I couldn't find instant ramen where I am currently living thus I baked some noodles from a bigger packet.
…..
This is not the original recipe as I have tweaked it along the way.

This recipe brings back fond memories of my involvement in a charitable organization, namely, The Lioness Club in Michigan, USA.
About twenty of us, each bringing our own knives, prepared food for more than 200 guests in a sit down luncheon in aid of the blind.
Can you visualize the amount of fun we have had in the kitchen?

Hungrybear's Potato Salad With Mixed Mushrooms

Ingredients
1. Three medium sized potatoes, place in cold water, add salt, bring to the boil; simmer till tender for between 15 to 20 minutes or till it’s tender.
Drain, set aside to cool slightly, peel skin and slice to desired thickness.
2. ⅓ cup frozen peas, cook from frozen, bring water to boil, add peas, simmer for about three minutes, drain, rinse under cold water, pat dry and set aside.
3. ⅓ cup red pepper – diced
4. Two young celery stalk including leaves, finely sliced
5. Few stalk of coriander – roughly sliced
6. ⅓ Spanish onion - diced
7. Bottled or canned mixed mushrooms in sunflower oil
8. Fresh mint, torn

Dressing
1. Two tablespoon EVO
2. One tablespoon onion oil
3. Pinch of salt
4. Dash of freshly ground mixed pepper
5. 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or juice from medium size lemon or white wine vinegar or white vinegar, tarragon vinegar
6. One teaspoon honey or castor sugar
7. Chilli flakes (optional)
8. One tablespoon caramelised onion

Method
1. Mix dressing well, taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Add all ingredients, toss lightly.
3. Scoop three tablespoon of mushroom from bottle, pat dry and mix to salad. Toss gently and serve at room temperature. Scatter some fresh mint on top of salad before serving.

Note:
1. Add potatoes to salad dressing whilst they are still warm to absorb the flavour better.
2. Mix and match any vegetables you have in stock.
3. For caramelised onions, slice Spanish onion finely, heat up a pot, add oil, when oil is smoking, add onion slices. Stir occasionally till onion is golden brown.