Name: Lao Hu Cai (Tiger Salad)
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: ChineseAsia
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon table salt; ½ teaspoon soy sauce; ¾ teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 Thai chile , stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin; 3½ cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped into 2-inch lengths; 4 celery ribs , sliced on bias ¼ inch thick; 3 scallions , white and green parts sliced thin on bias; 1 serrano chile , stemmed, quartered, seeded, and sliced thin; 2 teaspoons sesame seeds , toasted; 2 tablespoons chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

Why This Recipe Works

This vibrant Chinese salad, named for its bold flavors and textures, is served to stimulate the appetite at the beginning of a meal or to reset the palate between courses. We balanced the bracing vinaigrette, piquant scallions, and hot chiles with the herbal freshness of cilantro and the juicy crunch of celery. The earthy sweetness of the nuts and seeds and the rich sesame oil further tempered the dish.

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Before You Begin

For a spicier salad, include the chile seeds. For less spice, substitute half of a small green bell pepper (cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks) for the serrano. Serve as a light appetizer or as a palate cleanser between courses.