A complete guide to cold salads, our cold dishes are actually called salads abroad! They belong to the category of green and healthy foods, and this comprehensive list of cold dishes is sure to satisfy your taste buds!
Cold Dressed Enoki Mushrooms
Cold Dressed Enoki Mushrooms
Ingredients
Enoki mushrooms, yellow bell peppers, green onions, minced garlic, light soy sauce, aromatic vinegar, sesame oil, honey (or sugar).
Instructions:
1. Bring water to a boil. First, blanch the enoki mushrooms and yellow bell pepper strips for 30 seconds, then add the green onions, mix, and remove with a slotted spoon;
2. Soak the blanched ingredients from step 1 in ice water for half a minute;
3. In a bowl, thoroughly mix 1.5 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of aromatic vinegar, a small amount of honey (or sugar), and minced garlic to make the dressing. Drain the ingredients from step 2, gently squeeze out excess water, and add them to the dressing to mix well;
4. Before serving, drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil.
Helpful Tips:
1. Enoki mushrooms are very tender; the blanching time in water should not exceed 30 seconds, otherwise they will become too tough and might get stuck in your teeth when chewed;
2. Soaking the blanched enoki mushrooms in ice water is not only to cool them quickly but also to help the blanched vegetables maintain their best texture and color;
3. Gently squeeze out the water from the blanched enoki mushrooms to prevent the dish from releasing too much water after serving, which would affect the flavor and appearance;
4. It's best to dress and eat immediately. If left for too long, the mushrooms will absorb the color of the dressing, making them look less appealing;
5. If you dislike the strong taste of raw garlic, you can heat a little sesame oil and pour it over the minced garlic. This will mellow the garlic's pungency and remove the spiciness;
6. For those who love spicy food, adding a little chili oil will naturally make the dish even more delicious.
Sesame Spinach Salad
Cold Dressed Sesame Spinach
Ingredients:
Spinach, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame oil, aromatic vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, chopped green onions, diced red chili, minced garlic, minced ginger, black peppercorns, toasted white sesame seeds.
Instructions:
1. Heat sesame oil in a pan, add an appropriate amount of Sichuan peppercorns, and fry over low heat until fragrant. Remove the peppercorns;
2. Place chopped green onions, diced red chili, minced garlic, and minced ginger in a bowl. Pour the hot sesame oil over them;
3. Add an appropriate amount of aromatic vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, and a little salt, and mix well to make the dressing;
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a little corn oil and salt, and blanch the spinach for 2-3 minutes;
6. Remove the blanched spinach, rinse with cold running water, squeeze out the excess water, then mix with the dressing and toasted white sesame seeds.
Helpful Tips:
1. Spinach contains oxalic acid, with higher levels in round-leaf varieties. Consumption can affect the body's absorption of calcium. Therefore, it is best to pre-cook this type of spinach and discard the cooking water to reduce oxalic acid content;
2. The seasonings can be adjusted according to your family's taste, increasing or decreasing the ingredients as needed;
3. Pouring hot sesame oil over the minced ginger and garlic can effectively reduce their pungent and spicy taste;
4. Toast white sesame seeds over low heat, store in a sealed glass jar, and use as needed for convenience;
Cold salads are best dressed and eaten immediately; do not leave them overnight.
Frozen needle mushrooms
Sesame spinach