When disaster strikes I channel my inner 4H-er. Slightly more country than the Girl Scouts, the 4H-ers mixed the boys and the girls and loved to teach survival. We moved to Fort Lauderdale in May 2004 and experienced Charlie, Wilma and Katrina. We lost power for a month and learned that living without a fridge or running water requires creative cooking. At the time, I was working in radio. During a storm, radio shows its power providing updates and alerts for the entire community. The team practically lived at the station and brought in meals to share. This recipe was shared by Gary, one of my coworkers. It’s been changed a bit, but I credit him with the base. To adequately prep for a storm, overload the pantry with the condiments. You’ll be pleased to have the flavors on hand. Many appear in this recipe.
1 large head of green cabbage shredded
1 small head of red cabbage shredded
3 carrots shredded
2 Green (spring) onions diced
2 packages chicken flavored Ramen noodles–broken up
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup sliced almonds
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
In a small bowl create sauce by mixing together rice vinegar, oil, honey, soy sauce, and 1 packet of the seasoning from Ramen noodles. (toss the second packet or save for bouillon soup). Set mixture aside.
In a large bowl, mix cabbages, carrots, raisins, noodles, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Pour the sauce mixture over vegetables and cover. Place bowl on ice for at least 1 hour. This chilling will soften the noodles and give time for flavors to blend.
