Many non-Western world cultures also have salads of various sorts as part of their traditional cuisines. In Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, Sylvia Lovegren writes, "There are many different types of cold chicken salad in China, although most of them seem to originate in Szechwan. But the Chinese chicken salad being consumed ... by the fashionable set, probably originated in California."[2][failed verification – see discussion] In Hollywood Dish, Akasha Richmond writes, "Hollywood gave rise to more salads than just the Caesar and Cobb. The 1960s produced the Chinese (or Shredded) Chicken Salad, which was popular at Madame Wu's in Santa Monica. Cary Grant told her about the dish."[3][4] According to a website about Sylvia Wu, who is popularly known by her alias Madame Wu, "She came up with something better, using a recipe she vaguely remembered having encountered in Shanghai. It was a blend of shredded chicken, fried vermicelli, green onions and toasted almonds. Madame Wu’s soon became known for her Chinese chicken salad, now an American luncheon classic."[5]
In the United States, many common cookbooks from circa 1900 to the 1950s would include chicken salad; but, for many of them, that would often presume a bound salad with chopped vegetables and mayonnaise, typically without lettuce. For example, The Settlement Cookbook by Mrs. Simon Kander, published as early as 1910, includes a simple "Lettuce salad" with chopped onion and French or German dressing; but, no Chinese, Asian or Oriental salad of any kind.[6] Similar bound chicken salads are found in the 1974 edition of Joy of Cooking (first published 1931).[7] It was by 1950s that main course type salads started to appear in books like Better Homes & Gardens, New Cook Book; whereas, that often included Caesar salad along with the usual bound chicken salad, but no Asian-styled or -flavored salads.[8] The Good Housekeeping Cookbook introduced a "Sesame-Spinach Salad," with soy sauce and salad oil, although not with sesame oil; whereas, this introduced something closer to Asian flavors, such as a few curry salads and others similar to those of Better Homes.[9] The next generation of ever more exotic and main course salads were on the way.
With intimations of Asian-style lettuce salads appearing by the 1950s and into the 1970s, publishers like California's Sunset Magazine stated in their popular cookbooks and guides that "You'll find such classics as Caesar, Waldorf, and Crab Louis; international favorites with exotic names like Tabbuli and Antipasto; satisfying whole-meal salads like Shrimp-stuffed Avocados and Taco Salad..."[10] and so on. Suddenly, sesame seeds went from just being a garnish on a salad, to being an ingredient for a recipe of "Sesame Seed Dressing" (p.6); but, more over, and indeed, there was now a recipe for "Chinese Chicken Salad" (p.35).
Sunset's recipe for Chinese Chicken appeared similarly as to what it's known as today, including: soy sauce; salad oil; garlic and ginger; (relatively exotic) Chinese five-spice or (more common substitute, ground cinnamon); broiler fryer chicken (marinated in sherry wine); sesame seed; shredded iceberg lettuce; green onions; coriander (cilantro); cashews or peanuts; and lemon dressing.[11][12] It was noted therein, that "Many variations of this salad vie for popularity. This one, without traditional crisp noodles, is simpler than most..." since, fried vermicelli noodles is probably difficult to find and make for many homemakers. Most of these recipes had not yet included sesame oil, seemingly still rare to find for most homemakers.
Beyond that, perhaps reflecting the California lifestyle and its eventual approach to the newer California Cuisine that used fresh ingredients and contemporary, multicultural flare, Sunset also now provided countless other Asian salad recipes, seeming to recognize the new trend and desire: Oriental Cabbage Slaw (p.24); Oriental Wilted Romaine Salad (p.25); Chicken in Cantaloupe with Curry Dressing (no lettuce) (p.33); Hoisin Chicken Salad (p.36); Oriental Turkey Salad (p.37); and so on.[13] The new Chinese and other Asian salads were added with a broad arrangement of other main salads, although perhaps not authentic, they were nevertheless styled and inspired by exotic cuisines and ingredients. Sunset's salad book and recipes seemed to appeal to Americans's desire for greater variety and international fares.
The continued popularity of Chinese chicken salad has established its regular feature on many restaurant menus, including from the fast food establishment Wendy's "Asian Cashew Chicken Salad"[14] to the upscale "Chinois Chicken Salad"[15] by Wolfgang Puck; of which, this later figure is indeed one of the few pioneers of California Cuisine.
Today's Chinese chicken salad has been developed, but found its contributions from various restaurants, cookbooks and online recipes. As a quick and easy homestyle salad this salad may contain a combination of water chestnuts and mandarin orange slices; as well as use of store-bought instant ramen noodles and a seasoning packet that is used to flavor a vinaigrette dressing.[16] All of these recipes provide variations of the salad's style and theme; all of them representing interpretations from various contributors.
While Chinese chicken salad, and its variations, have also been known as "Asian Chicken Salad" and "Oriental Chicken Salad"; more over, it has as well (sometimes) seen the removal of chicken from the dish and its name (if not adding or substituting other ingredients, like seafood).
Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui Dynasty in China.
Sōmen salad is a Japanese type of noodle-based salad that is served cold. It is a dish based on its main ingredient, the sōmen noodle. Essentially, the salad consists of three main parts: the noodles, the vinegar-based sauce, and the garnish. Some recipes include chicken broth, lemon juice, or sesame oil for mixing in the broth. The variety of garnish ranges from shredded lettuce, scallions, sesame seeds, slivered char siu or ham to scrambled eggs.
Cellophane noodles, or fensi, sometimes called glass noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch and water. A stabilizer such as chitosan may also be used.
Soto ayam is a traditional Indonesian dish with ingredients such as chicken, lontong, noodles, and rice vermicelli. Soto ayam is popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Suriname. Turmeric is added as one of its main ingredients which makes the yellow chicken broth. It is one of the most popular variants of soto, a traditional soup commonly found in Indonesian cuisine. Besides chicken and vermicelli can also be served with hard-boiled eggs, slices of fried potatoes, and Chinese celery leaves. Fried shallots are usually added as a garnish. Coconut milk (santan) is also used as an additional ingredient. Koya, a powder of mixed prawn crackers with fried garlic, or sambal is a common topping. Krupuk or emping is also a common topping. Lalapan is usually served as a side dish.
Iraqi cuisine is a Middle Eastern cuisine that has its origins in the ancient Near East culture of the fertile crescent. Tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals—the first cookbooks in the world. Ancient Mesopotamia was home to a sophisticated and highly advanced civilization, in all fields of knowledge, including the culinary arts.
Malaysian Chinese cuisine is derived from the culinary traditions of Chinese Malaysian immigrants and their descendants, who have adapted or modified their culinary traditions under the influence of Malaysian culture as well as immigration patterns of Chinese to Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Chinese Malaysians are descendants of immigrants from southern China, Malaysian Chinese cuisine is predominantly based on an eclectic repertoire of dishes with roots from Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka and Teochew cuisines.
Chinese Indonesian cuisine is characterized by the mixture of Chinese with local Indonesian style. Chinese Indonesians, mostly descendant of Han ethnic Hokkien and Hakka speakers, brought their legacy of Chinese cuisine, and modified some of the dishes with the addition of Indonesian ingredients, such as kecap manis, palm sugar, peanut sauce, chili, santan and local spices to form a hybrid Chinese-Indonesian cuisine. Some of the dishes and cakes share the same style as in Malaysia and Singapore, known as Nyonya cuisine by the Peranakan.
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rather than rice grains themselves.
Mì Quảng, literally "Quảng noodles", is a Vietnamese noodle dish that originated from Quảng Nam Province in central Vietnam. In the region, it is one of the most popular and nationally recognized food items, and is served on various occasions such as at family parties, death anniversaries, and Tết.
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.
Chả giò, or nem rán, also known as fried spring roll, is a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine and usually served as an appetizer in Europe, North America & Australia, where there are large communities of the Vietnamese diaspora. It is ground meat, usually pork, wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried.
Burmese salads are a diverse category of indigenous salads in Burmese cuisine. Burmese salads are made of cooked and raw ingredients that are mixed by hand to combine and balance a wide-ranging array of flavors and textures. Burmese salads are eaten as standalone snacks, as side dishes paired with Burmese curries, and as entrees. The iconic laphet thoke is traditionally eaten as a palate cleanser at the end of a meal.
Shredded beef is a preparation of beef that features in dishes from various cuisines. Shredded beef is sometimes prepared using beef brisket and chuck roast. Pot roast is also sometimes shredded.
Lettuce soup is a soup prepared with lettuce as a primary ingredient. It may be prepared with myriad lettuces and other ingredients, and some lettuce soups may use several cultivars of lettuce in their preparation. It is a part of French cuisine and Chinese cuisine. Cream of lettuce soup is a type of lettuce soup prepared using milk or cream. The soup may be served with toast or rolls as a side dish or with the soup atop them. It may be served as an appetizer, a side dish or as a main dish, and may be served hot or cold.
Betawi cuisine is rich, diverse and eclectic, in part because the Betawi people that create them were composed from numbers of regional immigrants that came from various places in the Indonesian archipelago, as well as Chinese, Indian, Arab, and European traders, visitors and immigrants that were attracted to the port city of Batavia since centuries ago.
Salads that are internationally known as Thai salads with a few exceptions fall into four main preparation methods. In Thai cuisine these are called yam, tam, lap and phla. A few other dishes can also be regarded as being a salad.
Ants climbing a tree is a classic Sichuan dish in Chinese cuisine. The name of the dish in Chinese, Mayishangshu, has been translated as "ants climbing a tree", "ants on the tree", "ants creeping up a tree", "ants climbing a hill" or "ants climbing a log". It is so called because the dish has bits of ground meat clinging to noodles, evoking an image of ants walking on twigs. The dish consists of ground meat, such as pork, cooked in a sauce and poured over bean thread noodles. Other ingredients in the dish may include rice vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sesame oil, scallions, garlic, ginger, and chili paste.
Hot pot or hotpot, also known as steamboat, is a dish whereby a heat source placed on the dining table keeps a pot of soup stock simmering, and a variety of Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients are served beside the pot for the diners to put into the hot stock.
Indonesian noodles are a significant aspect of Indonesian cuisine which is itself very diverse. Indonesian cuisine recognizes many types of noodles, with each region of the country often developing its own distinct recipes.
References
↑ Martin Yan (2000) Chinese Cooking for Dummies, John Wiley and Sons ISBN0-7645-5247-3
↑ Sylvia Lovegren (2005) Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, University of Chicago Press ISBN0-226-49407-1
↑ Akasha Richmond (2006) Hollywood Dish: More Than 150 Delicious, Healthy Recipes from Hollywood's Chef to the Stars, Penguin ISBN978-1-58333-241-2
↑ "Madame Wu: Her Story". The Legendary Madame Wu. Archived from the original(Website about Sylvia Cheng Wu, aka Madame Wu) on 20 November 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
↑ Mrs. Simon Kander, The Settlement Cookbook, The American Crayon Company, New York, N.Y., 1910, fourth edition, pg. 195, 206-207.
↑ Irma s Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker, Joy of Cooking, Signet/The New American Library, Inc., 1974; original copyright 1931, The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc.
↑ Better Homes & Gardens', New Cook Book, Meredith Publishing Company, 1953, 1962, 1965, Ninth Edition.
↑ Zoe Coulson, Eds., The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, The Hearst Corporation, New York, New York, 1973, ISBN0-87851-014-1
↑ Judith A Gaulke and Linda Brandt, Eds., Sunset Favorite Recipes for Salads, Sunset Books/Lane Publishing Co., Menlo Park, CA, 1979, 1966, 1962, 1937 copyright, Fourth printing 1982, page 2.
↑ Judith A Gaulke and Linda Brandt, Eds., Sunset Favorite Recipes for Salads (p.35)
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