Rosie Makes Oriental Chicken Salad

I still had a lot of chicken left over from the hen I cooked last weekend when Ticky came to visit. I decided to make chicken salad to use it up, but I wanted something a little different. Feeling somewhat in an Asian mood, I thought my take on an Oriental chicken salad would be a nice change.

From top left, going pretty much clockwise, here's the cast in my culinary operetta: chicken picked off the carcass (Thanks to Mr. Hawthorne, who complains he always gets the "shit detail.") Ramen noodles pickled ginger sesame oil Teriyaki sauce sesame seeds green onions almonds celery The baked head of garlic I stuck in the cavity of the chicken when I cooked it.

First I toasted the almonds, Ramen noodles, and sesame seeds. I knew that when I poured everything in the pan I should have done the almonds and Ramen first, then add the sesame seeds. The way I did it, the sesame seeds would burn before the almonds and the Ramen toasted, so I picked out the almonds and Ramen and toasted them a bit more.

Next I took each garlic clove and squeezed out the lovely puree ...

... into the mayonnaise.

A little rice wine vinegar.

Some Teriyaki sauce.

Sesame oil.

Little bit of sugar.

Minced pickled ginger went into the mixture. Now. Listen up. I only added small amounts of the ingredients at a time. I tasted as I went along and I added more of what I thought it needed. You need to layer your flavors. Just experiment and don't think a recipe is an absolute (unless you're baking). Taste and add what flavors you want. When I got the flavors in the dressing the way I liked them I added in the rest of the ingredients.

Celery and green onions went in.

And the chicken.

Noodle/nut/sesame mixture.

Oriental chicken salad on a Triscuit.

Good eats.