Salad dressing with unconventional ingredients

[NYCGayTranslator]

I am an American living in Central China. In Shanghai and Beijing, you can buy anything American in the supermarket. Even in my city, I can buy salad dressing if I take a taxi to the suburbs and am willing to pay US$20 for a bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch.

However.

Yesterday I was in a Japanese department store downtown and saw some iceberg lettuce, right next to the perfume counter, and I knew I wanted to make a salad, which I haven't had since I got to China; so I bought the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and Chinese cucumbers.

My point is: how can I make salad dressing from what I have available:
ketchup
American yellow mustard
mayonnaise
sesame oil
vegetable (soy?) oil
white rice wine vinegar
medium dark soy sauce
hoisin sauce
whole pitted black olives
capers
spicy black bean sauce
soybean sauce
hot soybean sauce
salt
black pepper grinder
garlic powder
jar of tiny pickles from France which cost two days' salary.
But I was unwilling to fork over enough money for olive oil, although it is available. Expensive!


I know salad dressing is basically oil and vinegar, unless you go the egg route, but I don't really like eggs, although I'm not averse to them in a sauce as long I don't know they're there.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Mayo
Ketchup
A little mustard..
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic...
Maybe a splash of rice wine vinegar....

Taste...Adjust...

Enjoy!!

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

Sounds like Russian dressing.

I was hoping for a bit more like Bleu cheese or Mediterranean, but then I don't have the critical ingredient for the former.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Sounds like 1000 Island....especially if you add some of the expensive pickles!

 

[larry_stewart]

If u want to keep an asian flare to it, oil, vinegar, garlic powder, a little soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil, a little sugar and if u can dig up some ginger or ginger powder

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

I'm trying to get away from an Asian flavour. I miss Western salad.

 

[larry_stewart]

then scratch my idea

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

Oh, I also have some Sweet N' Sour Sauce from McDonald's...

 

[larry_stewart]

can you get your hands on orange juice for a reasonable price ? That might expand our options a little

Could make a vinegrette (sp) with a little orange juice, or another kind with a spoon of mustard, garlic powder, black pepper. I remember as a kid my parents would make a russian dressing with finely chopped up hard boiled egg in it ( egg russian).

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

OJ is very expensive, but I can get, however not at 10pm

 

[GotGarlic]

You can make something similar to a ranch dressing with mayonnaise, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Can you get buttermilk or milk, to thin it out, and maybe thyme and onion powder, for seasoning? You could add some sauteed onion if you can't get the powder.

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

I won't buy milk in China because of the risk of "dying".

 

[mike in brooklyn]

Vinegar, oil, mustard, pepper, salt - add the black olives and capers to
the salad.

 

[kitchenelf]

Vinegar, oil, mustard, pepper, salt - add the black olives and capers to
the salad.

That's pretty much what I was going to say. Even some ketchup might make this a tomato-ey type vinaigrette. To this tomato-ey mixture I feel capers (or simply caper juice) would be a perfect addition.

You listed a lot of Asian ingredients hence those variations were mentioned.

 

[jfield]

NYCGayTranslator

It seems as though there are many people who have been bending over backwards to help you out, and you appear to be less than appreciative. Based on the list of ingredients that you gave us, you can make a ton of different types of dressing. You can go oil/vinegar/hoisin w/seasonings or make it ketchup-based to try and make some sort of Russian-type dressing.

Perhaps a "thanks for the ideas" would be a pleasant gesture on your part. If you're not finding what you seek here, maybe someone somewhere else will be able to better assist you.

And to everyone else who has given great ideas--they all sound very good and are all perfectly viable options

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

Here in China I don't have 24-hour internet access, or a flush toilet, like you in America. I do appreciate the input, but I cannot say so at the drop of a hat.

I would now like to thank everyone for their suggestions! I hope it works out.

 

[jfield]

I hope that it will work out for you, as well. I know it can be frustrating to not have all the ingredients that you are used to working with, especially when you are really craving a "taste of home"

 

[NYCGayTranslator]

I just learned one of my students is the in the hospital, so I am going to see him, salad be ****ed. (hospitals are quite dangerous places) Thank you everyone anyways!

 

[larry_stewart]

?
This thread is one of the more bizarre ones ive seen in awhile.
Just doesnt feel right.

maybe its me