Everybody Loves This Salad

Hi! This is my very first recipe post. I love this salad sooo much, I wanted to share it with all of you and post it on the Tasty Tuesday blog party.

Years ago at a friend’s annual Kentucky Derby Party, she served this delicious salad. Everyone wanted the recipe which she happily provided. Let me tell you, since that day I have eaten obscene quantities of this salad. Not to worry, though it is cabbage, it has never given me gas. I thought I had better put that concern to rest. 

Since moving to Nashville, I have introduced this salad to many people. They always rave about it; including the former VP of the United States.  I am sure it will be a hit for you.

The INGREDIENTS:

Napa Cabbage  (this is tricky because a head of napa cabbage can vary tremendously in size. So if the heads are rather small, get two of them.  Let me let you in on a little secret…when you purchase the napa cabbage, pull off the outer leaf all around before you buy it. Napa cabbage is usually sold by the pound, so why pay for the pieces you will end up tossing?

Juice of lemon   How much depends on the size of the napa cabbage head and the size of the lemon.  If it is a very large head, two lemons. Also, if you love lemon, you can add more.

Package of Chicken flavored Ramon Noodles (you want the seasoning pack inside. )  If you have a large head of napa cabbage, you might need 1 1/2 packs of the seasoning.

LIGHT olive oil  (regular or extra virgin is too strong)

Sunflower seeds  (raw if you are very healthy and salted if not, see tips below for other options)

The Ingredients + the napa cabbage

 

Insert a knife into the cabbage length wise about 5-6 times as if you are cutting stripes.  You will not use the bottom 1/5 of the cabbage but you want to keep it connected.

Now cut across the long slices with the goal of chopping up the cabbage. It does not have to be as small as cole slaw but you want it in bite size pieces^

 

Place your cut up cabbage in a salad spinner to be washed.

Fill the salad bowl halfway with napa cabbage then add the add lemon juice  followed by drizzling the light olive oil all over, next sprinkle the chicken flavor seasoning package all over, add some sunflower seeds then add the rest of the cabbage, more lemon juice, more olive oil, more seasoning and more sunflower seeds.  The amount of sunflower seeds can vary with your own preference.

Tips: Make sure it is napa cabbage, other cabbage does not taste the same.

I like a ratio of 3 to 1 lemon juice to olive oil.

The original recipe called for taking the uncooked ramon noodles and putting them in a zip lock and breaking them up with a rolling pin and adding those to the salad.  I have substituted the raw sunflower seeds since the ramon noodles are carbs without nutritional value.  It does taste good with the ramon noodles.  Additionally, I have used roasted and salted sunflower seeds. Again, tastes good, but not as healthy.  I, too, have thrown in walnuts instead of sunflower seeds.  I like the crunch all of the above gives to the recipe.

I like making the salad at least an hour ahead of time, adding everything and then chilling in the refrigerator.  Leftovers are great!