UntrainedChef
Reindeer shavings with warm cabbage salad - norwegian, asian recipe

Reindeer shavings with warm cabbage salad

40 min
2 portions

Norwegian reindeer with an Asian twist — the combo of ginger, chili, soy, and honey with the meat is surprisingly good.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Take the reindeer shavings out of the freezer and let them sit on the counter until half-thawed.

  2. 2

    Heat a frying pan and add a little margarine or butter. Once the foam settles, it's hot enough — brown the meat in batches, then add it all back to the pan and fry until properly cooked and crispy at the edges. Finely chop the ginger and chili, then stir them into the meat along with the soy sauce and honey.

  3. 3

    Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.

  4. 4

    Use a sharp knife to finely slice the cabbage, carrot, and spring onion — you can also coarsely grate the carrot if you prefer.

  5. 5

    Heat a frying pan and add the butter or margarine. Add the finely cut vegetables and stir-fry quickly until they're heated through and just starting to soften. Stir in the basil and pine nuts, season with salt and pepper. Fold in the reindeer shavings and serve with rice and sour cream.

Per average serving

0
Calories
kcal
0
Protein
g
0
Carbs
g
0
Fat
g
0g
Fiber
0g
Sugar
242mg
Sodium

Tips from the kitchen

  • Keep the reindeer shavings half-frozen when you start. They brown faster that way and stay tender instead of going gray and watery.
  • Brown the meat in batches. Crowd the pan and you steam it. You want crispy edges, so give the shavings room and let each batch sit before stirring.
  • Add the honey and soy near the end, off the high heat, so the honey doesn't scorch. It should coat the meat and go a bit sticky, not burn into the pan.
  • Cut the cabbage and carrot thin and stir-fry fast. A couple of minutes is enough. You want them hot and still with some bite, not soft.
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a minute before they go in, and watch them. They turn from pale to burnt in seconds.

Ways to vary it

  • No reindeer? Thin-sliced beef or moose shavings work the same way, browned hard and finished with the ginger, chili, soy, and honey.
  • If you want a little crunch on the cabbage side, a splash of rice vinegar stirred in at the end is a nice optional touch.
  • Swap the rice for noodles if you're in the mood for something different. Egg noodles soak up the soy and honey nicely.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in a sealed container. The meat freezes fine on its own, but the cabbage salad goes limp after freezing, so I'd skip that. Reheat the meat quickly in a hot pan rather than the microwave so the edges crisp up again.

What to serve with it

A cold lingonberry drink or a light beer fits the Norwegian side of this. If you want something on the table, some flatbread or extra sour cream rounds it out.

UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 25 April 2026 · Updated 7 June 2026

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