Cabbage and Ramen Noodle Salad
This is, without any doubts, the star of this winter’s salads. I saw it several months ago on Azusa’s blog (Humble Bean) and wouldn’t stop thinking about it. How could I forget a recipe which had dried uncooked noodles among its ingredients? I simply waited for this time of the year when cabbage is one of the rare seasonal salad vegetables. Even though the salad looked beautiful, I must admit that the intriguing use of noodles was what tempted me most of all to prepare it. In fact I didn’t expect even half as good result and certainly not such a wonderful, complex side dish. The crunchy mixture of dry noodles, peanuts and sesame seeds is of course the focal point here. Once browned in butter, it proved an amazing topping and a perfect company for the sweet and sour salad dressing. I can very well see it sprinkled on many other dishes too. (Maybe I’m wrong, but I suppose the Japanese would call it “furikake”.)Β I made this salad for the first time yesterday, I have had it once more today and am already looking forward to serving it tomorrow. I think it will be my staple this winter just like Azusa’s Tomato and Shiso Salad was for the last two summers.
This recipe comes from a Hawaiian cookery book and accidentally it would go perfectly well with Shoyu Chicken, the only other Hawaiian dish I prepare (also found at Humble Bean). It would be an original alternative to coleslaw or any salad served with roast meat or birds during holidays. The guests’ amazement is guaranteed!
I have slightly modified the recipe mainly using peanuts instead of almonds, adding salt to the crunchy mixture (I still don’t know why I did it but it was a good decision) and scaling it down to a dish for two. Visit Humble Bean to see the original recipe.
TIP: The best way to crush both peanuts and noodles is to put them in a resistant bag (such as ziplock) and crush them with the bottom of a bowl for example.
I have made a bigger amount of the crunchy mixture (it has to be kept open, otherwise it will lose its crunchiness) and the following day the salad took me only 5 minutes to prepare. The mixture cannot be kept for a long period though (it might get rancid).
Preparation: 20 minutes
Ingredients (serves two):
150 g (about 2 cups) shredded white cabbage or a mixture or white and red cabbage
Crunchy mixture:
4 flat tablespoons crushed ramen noodles (Chinese-style “curly” wheat noodles)
2 flat tablespoons sesame seeds
3 flat tablespoons crushed peanuts (the original recipe calls for almonds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar (I have used agave syrup)
3 tablespoons chopped green onion (I had chives, so I have used them instead)
Heat the butter in a pan and, at low heat, brown the mixture of noodles, peanuts and sesame seeds, constantly stirring. When the noodles become golden, put the pan aside and combine the mixture with the salt.
Combine the dressing ingredients. Combine it with the shredded cabbage.
Sprinkle the salad with crunchy mixture and green onion or chives.
Give the salad a stir just before serving it.
This looks quite simple but sounds delicious. Thanks for the brilliant idea, I will prepare something similar tomorrow, have most of the ingredients on hand.
Quite unusual to see crunchy noodles. I’ve seen crunchy noodles broken up and sold as snacks. Some of the noodles are really delicious to eat on its own. Yum yum brand for example is very yum:) If I understand noodles correctly, the dried noodles have already been cooked and deep fried once
Thanks a lot, Mr. Three-Cookies. Since it was the first time I saw a dish with uncooked dry noodles (yes, they were cooked, but not all were deep-fried), for me it looked extremely food geeky π I just had to try it!
I have never seen crunchy noodles sold as snacks (well, apart from Japan, I have never been to Asia….).
How absolutely fascinating! Just as long as I don’t break my teeth on the ramen noodles π ! Love cabbage salads and shall soon try. But, more than that, I promised myself no more blog subscriptions and yet I have just subscribed to the ‘Humble Bean’: too special not to – thanks Sissi!!!
Thank you, Eha. Humble Bean is a very inspiring blog, indeed.
What a beautiful salad! And easy too!
Thanks, Tessa.
Oh, Sissi, you know what they say about great minds… haha! I have a very similar winter salad coming up… I love the peanuts in yours!! This would work gorgeously with your shoyu chicken indeed… a regular at our table ;-). Now what’s the dazzling purple in your bowl – is that a touch of red/purple cabbage? So pretty and vibrant. You know, I just happen to have all the ingredients for this lovely dish except for the ramen noodles but I can remedy that easily enough!
Thank you so much, Kelly. I somehow craved peanuts a lot when I made it for the first time and they proved so good, I intend to keep them in this salad.
I’m really glad you still like shoyu chicken and am certain both dishes would taste great. The lovely colour is the shredded red cabbage (I just had a bit of leftovers). I hope you can try it with noodles too because they are quite unusual to use this way.
You said: “Shoyu Chicken, the only other Hawaiian dish I prepare”
I’m surprised you haven’t adopted one of the loco moco variations or Spam musubi from my Hawaiian dish introductions. π
I had a wave of nostalgia when I saw ramen in the title of your dish. And it’s NOT a soup.
I haven’t purchased ramen noodles in years. There are SO many varieties/brands at the International grocery store that I visit that I don’t even visit that corner where the shelves and boxes are stacked. This sounds like something a hungry college student would come up with when his mom asked if he was eating any vegetables/salads. I’m very new to cabbage and coleslaw dishes (like okonomiyaki) so I can’t see myself making this, Sissi, but it’s certainly something unique and probably very tasty. And as long as YOU like it, like me with my hot ham and peanut butter sandwiches, it’s great.
Hi, A_Boleyn. I remember your dish, but I still cannot convince myself to buy spam π
For me it’s very easy with ramen noodles because there is only one brand (in Japanese shops) which sells them without any instant sauces or stocks. This is the one I buy.
I have always associated cabbage with heavy dishes cooked for hours (stuffed cabbage or cabbage soup), where cabbage becomes mushy and quite boring. Since I discovered cabbage salads and such dishes as okonomiyaki or the Korean stir-fried squid with cabbage, I am amazed how extraordinary cabbage can be. Suddenly it has become one of the vegetables I like a lot. (I also find it strangely easier to digest when still crunchy).
There was a hamburger loco moco … no Spam. π
I understand that some people toss the seasoning packages that come with the noodles and just cook the noodles. I like cabbage more now than I did years ago. Especially since I discovered bok choy which is cabbage like but not cooked for ages.
Oh, I was sure there was something with spam! I must read too many blogs π
I used to prepare noodles sometimes like this when I was a teenager… I also like bok choy a lot! I have a ready post with bok choy, but I think I will post it after Christmas. I must say that since I started to cook Asian cuisines, I started to dislike mushy vegetables… Everything tastes better when crunchy (maybe apart from aubergine and some rare exceptions). It’s also apparently healthier.
There WAS one with spam but I also made one with a ground beef patty.
http://a-boleyn.livejournal.com/114290.html
As someone who does not EAT aubergines/eggplant and a lot of other vegetable I don’t have that problem. π It’s funny I don’t mind the soft cabbage in egg rolls, potstickers, gyoza but won’t eat them in the form of cabbage rolls.
Crunchy IS better. I like crunchy broccoli for example.
I don’t mind them either but cabbage in a crunchy form is a real revelation. Oh, yes! I love crunchy broccoli too.
Gorgeous salad Sissi and indeed perfect for winter! I used to make a similar one, just adding carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes to the mix (love those vegs..) and a little different dressing, will have to try yours! π
Thank you so much, Gourmantine. Carrots and cucumbers sound like an excellent idea (edible tomatoes are already impossible to get).
I have always found this aspect of Asian cooking quite interesting, Sissi; for example, there are recipes that use toasted jasmine rice ground to a powder in salads for texture, now you introduce me to Ramen noodles RAW in a salad? I am definitely intrigued. The texture must be quite lovely, particularly since the noodle is golden; would it have lost its floury taste?
Thank you, Eva. I had no idea how it would taste, but my food curiosity was stronger than doubts and I was right to try it because it tastes really great. I don’t think my noodles had a floury taste (even before toasting) but they certainly became crispier after being browned in butter.
I know what you talk about! Actually I have been meaning to make some Vietnamese recipes (I have recently bought a Vietnamese cookery book where I found an amazing green papaya salad) with rice powder (apparently they use it a lot). I will certainly post my experiment with powdered rice if it’s flavoursome of course!
Did you say ramen? OH this brings me back to the good old days when I was a child at Taiwan. Rarely would my Mom let us have dried crunched up ramen, we sprinkled seasoning on those noodle pieces and munch munch munch! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Hi, Jeno. I’m so glad you said this because somehow I knew that what looks out-of-space to me will be completely normal to some of my visitors. It was my very first experiment with raw ramen noodles but I loved it, so I can imagine why you liked them as a child.
Wow! Those noodles sound really interesting, I have to,try this. A really original dish. GG
THank you so much, GG.
Must be crunchy delicious, this salad is. Crunchy cabbage, and ramen noodles and with peanuts. Love your dressing and the substitution of Agave syrup instead of sugar. Beautiful bowl too, Sissi! π
Thanks a lot, Ray. I try to use agave syrup instead of honey, sugar etc. as often as possible hoping it doesn’t affect my waist as much as sugar π I’m glad you like this bowl. It’s a recent buy.
This salad looks seriously awesome! Love the pretty bowl it’s in, too π
Thanks a lot, Ashley. I like my new bowl too, although it’s not easy to match with food (colourwise).
I love your presentation, and what a clever idea!
Thank you, Marina.
I think Bobby would actually enjoy cabbage if I made him this salad! I love the crunchy and good call on the peanuts. The dressing is so simple and one that I use for cucumbers. I can almost taste all of these ingredients together. I don’t think of salads much in winter, but there are exceptions. π
Thank you so much, MJ. I have just had the remains of this topping on noodles and it tasted great too. Cucumber salad sounds like a wonderful idea.
I have tried the ramen noodle salad before at potluck here in the US but have never made it at home! Checked Azusa-san’s blog and oh yeah I can see why you kept remembering about it! Very lovely salad Sissi, and I like your presentation too! Matching purple cabbage, bowl, and chopsticks. Very elegant!
Thank you very much, Nami. I am really flattered by your compliments! (The chopsticks come from Japan π They were so cute I couldn’t resist them).
Sissi, I have a similar recipe, but I am interested to try this one. I have the North American fixation with slaws and cabbage salads… and when I think I made it every possible way I will find one more. I am eager to try this.
Hi, Zsuzsa. I hope you will like this one too. Thanks to the raw noodle topping it seemed to me the most original cabbage salad I know.
I have made a salad with crunchy ramen noodles before but your recipe sounds better from browning the noodles, seeds and nuts in butter. I can’t wait to try your version.
Thanks, Karen. Butter does make a change, I believe although since it was my first raw noodle salad I have no idea how big the difference is.
ramen is one of those most comforting dishes around, and yours is lovely!
Thank you, Kale.
Really does sound wonderful Sissi and I love the addition of peanuts. Delish!
Thank you, Jed.
Raw noodles is such an unusual ingredient for a salad. No wonder why it caught your eye Sissi! Looks so exotic and extraordinary!
Thank you, Katerina. I’m glad you understand what tempted me to try it!
Hi Sissi, I do so enjoy gathering up the scraps of noodles left over when you cook a pack and chucking them in my mouth. My wife thinks I’m weird, but it does say you can eat them like that – it’s even recommended by them as a snack. Wouldn’t eat them on their own as a “snack” though – your way looks much more appetising π
Thanks, Charles. I see that you already know how uncooked noodles taste like! I’m sure you would love them browned in butter too.