Slaw of Opportunity

Links to the honey lime chicken thighs and coconut lime cilantro rice recipes will be provided below.

So I've been making variations of this slaw for the past few years, and I have recently come to the conclusion that, aside from one constant, the rest of the recipe is infinitely variable.

The one constant is... drumroll please...

A package of instant ramen. Top Ramen... Maruchan... doesn't matter what brand... you know what I'm talking about.

Depending on the ingredients you add, it may not taste remotely Asian at all. 

Here is the recipe for the slaw pictured above, along with a few suggested substitutions...

crucial ingredient-

1 package of instant ramen, noodles crushed onto foil-lined baking sheet

seasoning packet, reserved

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast crushed noodles until slightly golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

dressing-

In a small bowl/tightly sealed container, combine the following:

instant ramen seasoning packet

2 T freshly grated ginger

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

1/4 C canola oil

1 T soy sauce

1 T white sugar

1 T mirin

1 T toasted sesame oil

10 heavy dashes Maggi sauce

Whisk or shake until well combined. Set aside.

*Notes- if you don't have fresh ginger, use powdered. If you don't have powdered, omit completely. No big. No rice wine vinegar? Use whatever you have. No mirin? Add a smidge more sugar (or not). No Maggi? Got fish sauce? No? Fuggetabouddit. Make the flavor profile your own.

WHAT I HAD IN THE FRIDGE---

2 large stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, grated

2 large green onions, sliced

however much shredded cabbage... I was just free-wheeling at this point...

choppped cilantro

WHAT YOU MIGHT USE---

Any vegetables you can cut into slaw-like pieces (including peas)

Don't forget fruits (including dried)

Toasted or candied nuts. Go nuts.

Proteins... diced chicken, bacon, USE YOUR IMAGINATION

Don't be afraid to add cheeses.

Combine toasted noodles, dressing, and whatever happened to jump in the bowl. Toss vigorously. Cover and chill until you feel the correct vibe coming from the bowl, at least one hour. Taste for seasoning. Accept that it's good enough for now, but start thinking about future corrections. Serve.

Skillet Honey Lime Chicken

This is honestly one of the fastest, easiest, most delicious recipes I've ever made. 

Cilantro-lime Coconut Rice

One of my go-to recipes!!