Pak choi, although commonly consumed cooked, makes an awesome salad. This recipe is our version of one made famous by our friend the caterer Anna Kay Zaidie, who sadly is no longer with us. Every time we make this salad we think of her beautiful spirit and all the joy she created with her scrumptious food and desserts. The crunch of the raw greens, combined with a zesty ginger vinaigrette and toasted almonds, is addictive, and it works either on its own as a great meal or as an accompaniment. Feel free to use any kind of almonds—whole, slivered, raw, toasted, spiced, honey-roasted—or mix it up and replace the almonds with cashews or peanuts. You will probably have leftover vinaigrette, which you can store in the refrigerator and use with any kind of salad.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
- ⅔ tablespoon agave nectar or honey
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 pound pak choi
- 1 large carrot
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2 green onions or scallions, chopped
- 1 pack ramen noodles
- ½ cup almonds
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat an oven or toaster oven to 250°F.
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl, whisk, and set aside.
Break up the ramen noodles into small pieces, and toast them on a baking sheet until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. If desired, toast raw almonds in the oven or on the stovetop until lightly browned; leave them whole, or gently crush them into pieces with a rolling pin or the bottom of a sturdy frying pan.
Separate the pak choi leaves, wash them, and pat dry. Gather the leaves into a bunch, and slice them thinly crosswise (across the veins) from leaf to stem, using both the white and the green parts. Julienne the carrot and bell pepper to a similar size.
Combine the pak choi, carrot, bell pepper, and green onion in a bowl. Add the toasted noodles and half the toasted almonds. Toss the ingredients together with about half the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper to taste. If the salad needs more dressing, feel free to add more. Sprinkle the reserved almonds over the top, and serve.
Serves 4 to 6
