About Chinese Salad Dishes

Still, whatever the ingredients, we tend to think of a salad as a type of appetizer: served at the beginning of a meal and designed to wet our appetite for the main course. But salads play a different role in Asian cuisine. For one thing, the common variety garden salad is unknown in Asia. For another, a salad such as a noodle salad may make up an entire meal. A salad is often designed to provide a contrast or balance with other dishes, since the harmonious blending of textures, colors, and flavors is one of the hallmarks of Chinese cuisine. The crunchy texture of lightly blanched vegetables may balance a soft noodle dish, for example. And, like a sorbet, a salad may be used to clear the palate after a particularly spicy dish.

Another noticeable feature is the amount of care taken in the physical appearance of a Chinese salad. Instead of being tossed in a bowl, salads are normally carefully arranged on a platter.

Dressings and garnishes are commonly used in Chinese salads. In fact, in ancient times it is likely the Chinese seasoned their plants with soy sauce instead of salt. Some of the more common garnishes used to top salads are cilantro (Chinese parsley), peanuts, and chilies. Lime juice is a frequent ingredient in dressings, while peanut and/or sesame oil are the most common oils used.

Authentic Salad Dishes

Asian Vinaigrette
Chicken Salad with Rice Sticks (My Pai Fun)
Chilled Melon Fruit Salad
Chinese Potato Salad
Gado Gado Salad With Peanut Dressing (Indonesian)
Matchstick Chicken (Hot Chicken Salad)
Spicy Potato Salad - With a rice vinegar and olive oil
Turkey Mandarin Salad (Leftover Turkey Recipe)
Vegetarian Restaurant-style Salad Rolls

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