baby bok choy salad with toasted ramen and soy-sesame dressing
Bok choy, also known as leafy Chinese cabbage, is a very popular vegetable in China, the Philippines, and other East Asian countries. It is a small plant that looks a bit like a small head of romaine lettuce, but its deep glossy green leaves resemble collard greens. Bok choy is mild in flavor and can be sauteed or braised with garlic for a hot side dish. I love thinly chopped bok choy in a salad. In this recipe, I treat it like a lettuce and toss it raw with toasted almonds, ramen noodles, sesame seeds, and a ginger soy-sesame dressing. This salad keeps well and is great as an easy weekday lunch, topped with chicken and scallions.
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Bok choy (8 to 10 small bulbs, chopped into thin strips including stalks)
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Scallions, or green onions (1 bunch, chopped, including green and white parts)
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Sesame oil (2 tablespoons total; 1 tablespoon for toasting noodles, plus 1 tablespoon for dressing)
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Ramen noodles (1 package, flavor packet removed)
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Almonds (1/2 cup, thinly sliced)
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Sesame seeds (2 tablespoons)
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Salt (1 and 1/2 teaspoons)
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Fresh ginger (1 teaspoon, finely minced)
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Soy sauce (1 teaspoon)
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Rice vinegar (1 teaspoon)
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Sriracha sauce (1/2 teaspoon)
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Vegetable oil (1 teaspoon)
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In a large mixing bowl, add the thinly sliced bok choy and chopped scallions.
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In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and heat on the stove over medium heat.
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When the skillet is hot, add ramen noodles (broken up into small pieces), the almonds, seasame seeds, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, toss to coat evenly with oil. Toast until fragrant and lightly browned.
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Remove the ramen, almond, and sesame mixture from the stove and add to the bok choy and scallions.
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In a separate small bowl, mix ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to make the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Add the dressing to the large mixing bowl and toss the salad until evenly coated.
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Serve on its own or top with grilled chicken and extra scallions for garnish.