Description
This Asian Chopped Salad combines crunchy cabbage and romaine lettuce with sweet mandarin oranges, vibrant red bell pepper, and toasted almonds for a delightful texture and flavor. The salad is topped with crispy homemade wonton strips fried to golden perfection and tossed in a tangy, sweet-savory dressing made from lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar, making it a refreshing and colorful dish perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Salad
- Oil, for frying (vegetable, canola, avocado, etc), about 1 inch in pan
- 6 wonton wrappers, each cut into 6 strips
- 6 cups chopped green cabbage
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained and chopped if large
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, avocado, etc)
Instructions
- Fry Wonton Strips: Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy-duty pan over medium-high heat. Fry the wonton strips in batches until they are browned and crisped, about 30-45 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped green cabbage, chopped romaine lettuce, sliced green onions, drained and chopped mandarin oranges, diced red bell pepper, and sliced almonds. Toss gently to mix all the ingredients evenly.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small jar or container with a tight lid, add fresh lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and neutral oil. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is thoroughly combined and emulsified.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour as much dressing as desired over the salad mixture. Toss the salad gently but well to ensure all the ingredients are coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Serve: Plate the dressed salad and top generously with the crispy fried wonton strips for added crunch. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrasting textures and fresh flavors.
Notes
- The salad dressing recipe makes quite a bit of dressing, so add only as much as you like to the salad. Reserve the rest to pass at the table for additional dressing if desired.
- Use a neutral oil for frying and in the dressing for best results, such as vegetable or canola oil.
- Drain and chop mandarin oranges if large to balance bite sizes in the salad.
- Frying wonton strips quickly ensures they remain crisp and light rather than greasy.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and can vary based on brands and specific ingredients used.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
