Asian Salad* Recipe

Prep the vegetables

Trim root ends from napa and red cabbage. Thinly slice the napa cabbage crosswise into roughly 1/4-inch ribbons until you have about 4 cups. Core and thinly slice the red cabbage into 2 cups. Peel the carrots and julienne or grate them to equal 1 cup. Trim green onions and slice on a diagonal into 1/4-inch pieces. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and tender stems to make 1 cup (pack lightly). Place all prepared vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss gently to combine.

Taste a small piece of each cabbage and carrot to adjust quantity as desired—salad should be crunchy and balanced between the napa’s tenderness and the red cabbage’s firmness.

Prepare crunchy topping

Place a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and toast, stirring frequently, 3–4 minutes until fragrant and just turning golden. Remove almonds to a bowl to stop cooking.

Break the raw instant ramen block into small bite-sized pieces (discard the seasoning packet). In the same skillet, add the neutral oil and toasted sesame oil, heat briefly, then add the broken ramen pieces. Toast, stirring constantly, 1–2 minutes until the noodles start to color slightly but before they burn. Add the toasted almonds back to the skillet, sprinkle the soy sauce, sugar, and salt over the mixture, toss quickly to combine and evaporate excess moisture (~30 seconds). Remove to a plate or bowl to cool completely. The crunch will crisp as it cools.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, neutral oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes (if using), and black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake the jar for 20–30 seconds until honey is fully dissolved and the dressing emulsifies into a glossy sauce. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 teaspoon more honey for sweetness, or 1 teaspoon more vinegar for brightness if needed.

Pour about 3 tablespoons of the sweet-soy dressing over the prepared vegetables in the large bowl. Toss thoroughly with salad tongs or clean hands until the cabbage and carrots are evenly coated. Let sit 3–5 minutes to allow flavors to marry but not to wilt the cabbage too much.

Just before serving, sprinkle the almond-ramen crunch over the dressed salad and fold gently to distribute. Reserve a small amount of crunch to scatter on top for presentation if desired.

Garnish with additional cilantro leaves and more sliced green onions if desired. Serve immediately so the crunch remains crisp.