Wombok cabbage sales rise ahead of Christmas 2023

Chang’s Crispy Noodle Salad was a staple at picnics and barbecues in the early 2000s.

Under the Tupperware lid, you’ll find a faithful mixture of shaved wombok cabbage, spring onion, flaked almonds, and Chang’s Original Fried Noodles. All of this is tossed in a sesame-based dressing.

Woolworths recently announced that Lombok sales would increase 120 percent due to the popularity and demand for crispy noodle salads this Christmas. They expect to sell 90,000 units this week.

Just a few weeks before Christmas, this same crunchy noodle recipe is the top-ranking recipe in Google Search.

It’s delicious and nostalgic. Plus, it offers incredible value. The noodle dish is always a big hit.

How did Australia’s favorite side dish become crispy noodles? Where does it come from?

The “Asian style slaw” is based on a few modified recipes that originated in Hong Kong (Canton), Guangzhou, and, of course, the USA. Cantonese chow-mein, also known as chaomian, became popular across North America, Europe, and Australia in the early 1900s, when Chinese immigration increased.

This dish is a result of the Cantonese stir-frying tradition that dates back hundreds of years. Different regions developed their variations, such as the crisp Hong Kong-style Chow Mein, which has a huge influence on the Australian-style.

It was the addition of the crispy little noodles (mian-gan) to Westernised noodle recipes, plus Australia’s temperate weather, which is perfect for growing the wombok, that led to the development of our beloved Chang’s crunchy noodle salad.

While crunchy noodles and shredded cabbage aren’t new, the Chang’s brand is what really made it a hit.

In 1963, the third-generation Australian family business opened in Sydney with a mission to introduce “authentic” Asian flavors to Australians. Patrick and Elaine Pow are the father-daughter team that runs the business. The range includes ready-made sauces, but the most popular item is the crispy noodles.

You can make the dressing with white vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Or you can purchase a pre-made version from Chang’s.

Here’s the recipe. Good luck this Chrissy, getting your hands on the famous slaw.

Crispy noodles salad

Ingredients:

One packet of Chang’s Original Fried Noodles

Finely shred 1/2 Chinese cabbage

Sliced six spring onions

Half a cup of toasted slivered almonds

Dressing:

1/4 cup white vinegar

Castor sugar, 1/4 cup

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame seed oil

1/2 cup olive oil

Method:

1. Toast the slivered almonds on a medium heat in a pan that is dry. Remove from the pan once fragrant. Shred the cabbage and spring onion finely.

2. Pour over the remaining ingredients. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix until sugar has dissolved. Serve immediately with crunchy extra noodles.