Asian Spicy Pasta Salad
A tasty Asian salad dressing, with the heat of the chili oil, the sweetness of the hoisin, and the nuttiness of the sesame oil all combine to make this a favorite cold dish. Add the crispy vegetables and crunchy nuts to the pasta and you have a delightful salad that can stand alone as a lunch, or part of a larger meal. For a more complete meal, add stir fried chicken or diced tenderloin of pork.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (spaghetti or Asian equivalent) (454g)
- 1/2 cup shelled peas (70g)
- 1 cup shredded Savoy cabbage (145g)
- 1/2 cup green onions (both white and green parts) (80g)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots (70g)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (30g)
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted cashews (55g)
Dressing
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (80g)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (60g)
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil (55g)
- 1 tbsp Asian chili oil (20g) Use amounts to fit your taste.
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce (40g)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger root (20g)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per the manufacturers' direction. Drain when cooked, dump into a mixing bowl and toss with about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. The bit of oil will keep the warm pasta from sticking together.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the peas and shredded cabbage. Boil for 1 minute, drain and dump into a bowl with ice cubes and a bit of water to cool and stop the cooking.
- Make the dressing. Mix the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vegetable oil, toasted sesame oil, chili oil and chopped ginger root. Pour over the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
- Drain the peas and cabbage and add those along with the other cut vegetables and toasted cashews to the pasta. Use tongs to mix everything together. Allow to set at least one hour before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning. Depending on your personal taste, you may want to adjust the amount of chili oil.