4 oriental salads to refresh your palate

In summer they want more than ever fresh dishes. I have already spoken on other occasions about basics such as gazpacho and salmorejo, about how versatile fruits are in summer, etc.

If we want to innovate in cold dishes we can take a look at traditional asian recipeswhere they also know how to refresh the table when the heat is on.

There is a whole world beyond fresh rolls, from soups to curries. Today I show you a few very simple ones so that you can try them at home and vary them to your liking. I’m sure you won’t run out of ideas that way.

Japanese potato salad

Is very similar to our Russian salad, but mashing the potatoes and adding some other ingredients. It will last 2-3 days in the fridge in a tightly closed container.

Ingredients

4 boiled potatoes (medium) 1 boiled carrot ½ medium cucumber approx. 4 tablespoons sweet corn (drained) approx. 4 tablespoons of vegetable mayonnaise (veganesa) 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar salt to taste

Preparation

Mash the potatoes with a fork and mix them with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Chop the carrot and cucumber and add them to the bowl, mixing well. Add the corn and the vegetable mayonnaise and mix it all up. Taste it and add more salt if necessary. Leave it in the fridge until serving time.

Korean Seaweed Salad

It is easy to prepare and we can serve it in small portions along with main dishes. The main attraction of this recipe is the sea ​​flavor of wakame seaweed with sweet and sour dressing.

Ingredients

A handful of dried wakame seaweed (about 25 grams) ½ spring onion 1 clove of garlic 4 tablespoons of soy sauce 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar 1 tablespoon of sugar or rice syrup 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds Some ice cubes

Preparation

Put the seaweed in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover it well and boil it for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Drain them and wash them under cold tap water. Drain them again very well and cut them into julienne strips. In a separate bowl or mortar, crush the garlic with the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar or syrup. Chop the spring onion and add it to this mixture. Put the seaweed in a large bowl, pour the sauce over it and decorate it with sesame seeds. To make it cooler, add some ice cubes.

Vietnamese rice noodle salad

If you’re craving pasta but don’t want to make pasta salad, try this recipe. rice noodles they are made very fast and have a very pleasant texture once cold.

Ingredients

200 g rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles) 2 carrots 1 medium cucumber A few mint or mint leaves A few coriander leaves 1 red chili (optional) 4 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of sesame oil 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar 1 garlic clove 1 teaspoon grated ginger ½ lime Salt to taste

Preparation

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a saucepan to make the rice noodles. When it is boiling, add them, stir and let them cook for 2-3 minutes (you can look at the instructions on the package). Drain them and wash them in a colander with cold water. Cut the carrots and cucumber in julienne strips or with a vegetable peeler into thin strips. In a separate bowl, crush the garlic with the finely chopped chili, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and ginger. Serve the noodles mixing them with the julienned vegetables, with a handful of fresh herbs on top, pour the dressing and a pinch of salt. Let each diner put a little lime on the noodles.

Chinese wood ear salad

The wood ear mushrooms They are very popular in Chinese cuisine. You can find them in dehydrated oriental supermarkets, very convenient since they will last a long time in the pantry. All you have to do is rehydrate them in water and they are ready to use. They can be fried, sautéed, cooked… but also eaten as is.

Ingredients

A small handful of dried wood ears (about 20 grams) ½ spring onion 1 red chili 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 1 garlic clove 1 tablespoon chinkiang vinegar or rice vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil Salt to taste

Preparation

Leave the mushrooms to soak in a large bowl until they are completely hydrated (approx. 20 minutes). Wash them and drain them well. Bring to a boil approx. 1 liter of water in a saucepan. When it comes to a boil, add the mushrooms, blanch them for 2 minutes, drain them and cool them under running tap water. Dry them and put them in a bowl. Finely chop the garlic and chili. Cut the spring onion into strips or chop it finely. Mix all the ingredients with the mushrooms, taste it and add salt if necessary. Leave it in the fridge until serving time.