Tiger Salad (Lao Hu Cai) Recipe, à la Xi’an Renowned Meals

Some restaurant dishes are so right, you are going to be in a situation to’t abet nonetheless state them each time you’ve got the replacement. For me, the tiger vegetable salad on the Fresh York–based chain Xi’an Renowned Meals is one such dish. It aspects crisp-tender bits of celery, aromatic cilantro leaves and stems, scallions sliced on the bias, and a few slivers of intelligent Longhorn peppers, all tossed with a sweet-salty sesame oil vinaigrette.

It is the estimable complement to every thing on the menu; whether or no longer you state the cumin-lamb noodle soup, a plate of slippery liang pi (cool skin noodles), or a pork burger and a crowd of spinach dumplings, the tiger vegetable salad is onerous to amble up, given appropriate how effectively its cool spiciness fits with something. But I’ve consistently thought that if the folks at Xi’an offered the greens undressed and the dressing on the facet, as they discontinue for the liang pi noodles, that you might cart the salad home and serve it with any series of meals, from practically any cuisine—a tray of barbecue, voice, or a platter of fried clams and fries, or a Jap breakfast spread, even—and it would be appropriate as complementary.

In spite of every thing, Xi’an Renowned Meals just isn’t in any admire times the in truth set where you are going to be in a situation to procure this salad. The dish, known as lao hu cai and usually translated as “tiger salad,” appears to be like on the menus of several eating locations eager in the cuisines of Northern China.

Judicious one of many most memorable variations I’ve had (which in no capacity supplants Xi’an’s model in my heart, nonetheless is nonetheless very, very tasty) is the one at Fu Urge, since the salad there comes topped with the runt dried dinky that Fuchsia Dunlop says are known as “dinky skin” in Chinese language. You would possibly per chance well stumble on these at gorgeous Chinese language-American supermarkets, in the proportion housing refrigerated dried seafood, or capture them on-line.

As I was cleaning out the workers fridge the opposite day, I stumbled on we had a loopy surplus of celery, cilantro, and scallions, so I figured it used to be high time to converse a recipe for tiger salad.

I achieve absolutely zero claims relating to the authenticity of this recipe. It is truly an approximation of the salad Xi’an Renowned Meals affords, nonetheless I added the dried-dinky topping, appropriate because I enjoy the additional pops of dinky-y saltiness in every other chunk.

The style to Web Tiger Salad

The foremost part of this salad is celery, which makes it an attractive dish to possess in your repertoire whenever you happen to, admire me, most ceaselessly acquire your self with a surplus of celery. I enjoy celery’s flavor and use it in salads of all kinds, collectively with this iciness chicory salad. I even revel in it in glide-fries, where it takes on a roughly bean-sprout fantastic, whenever you happen to lower the celery ribs thinly on a bias.

In the occasion you might per chance well well be breaking proper into a brand novel head of celery for this recipe, I would possibly per chance well well counsel laying aside the outer ribs and reserving them for one more motive. I have a tendency to preserve up on to the outer ribs for stocks and broths, since they’re a runt little bit of woodier and peeling them takes a runt little bit of extra effort than peeling the interior ribs—and peel them you’ve got to.

Properly, presumably no longer “must,” nonetheless I’m a extraordinarily robust recommend for peeling celery; there are few issues I acquire as stressful as a stringy little bit of celery. You would possibly per chance well well also no longer feel the same capacity, so it be as much as you to decide whenever you happen to would possibly per chance well well be gorgeous with leaving these stringy bits in your salad.

After I’ve lower the (peeled) celery into batons, I rip aside a runt bundle of washed and spun cilantro, utilizing my fingers. I reserve any of the thicker stems to be used in cooked dishes, or something admire nam phrik.

You would possibly per chance well desire the extra tender stems of cilantro you make use of in the salad to be somewhat long, on the least three inches. Then I cut some scallions thinly on a bias, to yield elongated rounds, and I discontinue the same with the chili pepper. My local shops don’t elevate Longhorn peppers, nonetheless they discontinue elevate long hot peppers.*

You would possibly per chance well use any pepper in this salad, from light to intelligent, nonetheless phase of the dish’s allure is the difference between the cool greens and the spiciness of the pepper slivers, so I strongly counsel trying it with a pepper that is on the intelligent facet.

Chopping these other greens on a bias critically enhances the skills of eating the salad. The planks of celery, when picked up by a pair of chopsticks, serve to sandwich the cilantro stems, the scallions, and the hot pepper. If the cilantro stems are left long, and the skinny slices of scallion and hot pepper are long, too, it requires no futzing in any admire to procure mix of greens in every chunk.

Once all of your greens are lower, toss them in a mixing bowl and achieve the dressing, which is so straight forward that it barely deserves a description—appropriate glide collectively rice vinegar, salt, and sugar till the solids dissolve, then add soy sauce and sesame oil and glide again to combine. That’s it.

Dress the salad, set it on a single serving plate (or divide it between two plates), after which, whenever you happen to admire, sprinkle over the stop a pair tablespoons of these runt dried dinky.

It is miles a salad that transcends each season and cuisine, plus it be straight forward to attain and it goes with every thing. What’s no longer to admire?

June 2019

• 3 celery ribs (5 ounces; 140g), ideally lower from nearer to the heart, peeled of tricky fibers and lower into reasonably thick matchstick lengths

• 1/2 long hot inexperienced pepper (1/2 ounce; 14g), split in half of, every half of then lower on a bias (peep point out)

• 2 scallions, sliced thinly on a bias (2 ounces; 56g)

• 1 runt bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems, torn by hand or chopped into 3-glide lengths (1 ounce; 28g)

• 1 tablespoon (15ml) rice vinegar

• 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if utilizing table salt, use half of as important by quantity

• 3/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons runt dried dinky (0.2 ounce; 6g); peep point out

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix celery, long hot inexperienced pepper, scallions, and chopped cilantro.

2. In a runt bowl, mix rice vinegar, salt, and sugar, then glide to dissolve the salt and sugar fully. Add soy sauce and sesame oil and glide to combine.

3. Pour dressing over greens, tossing to attain obvious thorough distribution.

4. Mound greens on a serving plate and sprinkle dried dinky all the design thru the stop. Attend proper away.

Particular Equipment

Medium and runt mixing bowls

Notes

You would possibly per chance well use any chile pepper you admire in this dish, and even bell pepper whenever you happen to would possibly per chance well well be averse to chili heat.

The runt dried dinky known as for right here is most likely to be stumbled on in effectively-stocked Chinese language-American supermarkets, in the proportion housing refrigerated dried seafood, or ordered on-line.

Learn More

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