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Chinese sausage, about 5 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, resembles hard dry salami in texture but is quite different in flavor. It’s smoky yet very sweet and wonderful in a salad.

On a warm day, accompany this salad with an icy Tsing Tao beer and finish with mango or papaya slices splashed with lime juice and a touch of salt and chile powder.

You can find Chinese sausages in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets.

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Chinese Sausage Salad

Mango or Papaya With Lime and Chile

Chinese Sausage Salad

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Chinese sausage

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

8 cups sliced Romaine lettuce

1 cup bean sprouts

* Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic in small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

* Brown sausage in medium skillet over medium-high heat until sausage has rendered much of its fat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

* Toss together cabbage, carrots and lettuce in large bowl. Add sausage and dressing and toss again.

* Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish each plate with a small mound of bean sprouts.

4 servings. Each serving: 243 calories; 1,123 sodium; 22 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 1.55 gram fiber.

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Carrots

Chile powder

Garlic

Ginger root

Limes

Sugar

SHOPPING LIST

Bean sprouts

Beer

Chinese sausage

Fish sauce

Mango or papaya

Red cabbage

Romaine lettuce

GAME PLAN

25 minutes before: Slice mangoes or papaya, season with lime juice, salt and chile powder. Chill until needed.

20 minutes before: Make dressing.

15 minutes before: Brown sausage, slice cabbage and lettuce. Cut up carrots.

Just before serving: Toss salad.