One of the Fashionista's favorite foods is the Chinese Chicken Salad at Chin Chin's in L.A. I've heard her mention this on numerous occasions...saying it had the BEST dressing ever...when I had a chance to go 
to L.A. I hopped on over to Chin Chin's and ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad...and waited with baited breath. It was not what I expected. It was PINK! And full of ginger! I tried to figure out what was in it...definitely sugar as it was sweet...and ginger....ginger....ginger....that's as far as I got. The salad itself was not great - chicken and lettuce, whoopdedoo, the dressing was definitely the star. It was unlike any other Chinese salad dressing that I've had so I decided that I would try to make it. I told the Fashionista my plans and she laughed...she routinely scours the internet looking for this dressing and has found nothing. I Googled it...and found what someone said was THEEEE dressing...I immediately called the Fashtionista and reported my good luck - again, she laughed - pointing out that I didn't read far enough because it clearly stated that "this is NOT Chin Chin's dressing" at the bottom of the page...and not even a reasonable knock-off! Still.....
Sesame oil, hoisin, hot sauce, soy and red wine vinegar...the supporting cast to all of the ginger. I didn't have red ginger though so I headed to Whole Foods. The produce manager said he had never heard of red ginger...he called over an associate who explained that sometimes Thai ginger is called red ginger because it can turn pink-ish...so I bought Thai ginger with no pink anywhere to be seen.
Now why did I go to all this trouble for a recipe that I knew was not the real McChin? Because it sounded good....and it IS good...it's just not Chin Chin's!
Not Chin Chin's Chinese Salad Dressing - Pots and Pins
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 ounce hoisin sauce
salt to taste
chili sauce to taste
1 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup red ginger, minced
1/2 cup green onions, minced
1 ounce honey
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Serve over salad ingredients of your choice. Refrigerate left over dressing. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing.
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If any of you have Chin Chin's Chinese Salad Dressing and you'd be willing to share, I, for one, would be ever so grateful...and I know the Fashionista would be eternally in your debt....perhaps we could work a trade? I have a beautiful apron with your name on it IF you have Chin Chin's recipe!
