Food 4

Glass noodle salad

40 g dry glass noodles (bean threads)

1 heaping Tbsp dried shrimp

2 cloves garlic

10 sprigs cilantro, stems and leaves separated

Thai chilies, to taste

1 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed

2 Tbsp + 1 tsp fish sauce

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tomato, cut into wedges

¼ cup julienned onion

1 stalk Chinese celery or 2 inner small stalks and leaves of regular celery\

100 g ground pork

6 medium shrimp

¼ cup roasted peanuts

Soak noodles in room temperature water for 7-10 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain, then cut the noodles twice to shorten them.

Place dried shrimp in a small heatproof bowl, cover hot water and let sit for a few minutes to soften (if you’re using large dried shrimp, they will take longer).

Meanwhile, place tomato, onion and Chinese celery into a large mixing bowl. When the dried shrimp are ready, drain then pound them in a mortar and pestle until they are broken into smaller pieces. Alternately you can chop them. Add the dried shrimp to the mixing bowl.

Cut cilantro stems into small chunks them place in the mortar and pestle along with the garlic and chilies; pound into a paste. Add palm sugar and pound until dissolved. Add 2 Tbsp of the fish sauce and lime juice and stir to mix.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add glass noodles and cook for 2 minutes, remove from the water with tongs (you want to keep the water) and place into a strainer to drain excess water; set aside.

Add the shrimp into the remaining liquid and cook for 30-45 seconds or until they are done. Place the shrimp into the mixing bowl.

Pour out the water, leaving just enough water to cover the bottom, and return the pot back on the stove. Once the water boils, add the pork along with 1 tsp of fish sauce and stir until fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the liquid and place into the mixing bowl.  Then add about 1 Tbsp of the pork cooking liquid into the mixing bowl as well.

Add the noodles into the mixing bowl, pour the dressing over and quickly toss to combine. Toss in cilantro leaves and plate. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately!

 Chicken BBQ salad

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 Roma tomato, diced

3/4 cup canned corn kernels, drained

3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Ranch dressing

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup tortilla strips

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, tomato, corn, beans, onion and cheeses. Pour Ranch dressing and BBQ sauce on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately, topped with tortilla strips.

 Fruit salad

2/3 cup fresh orange juice

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cubed fresh pineapple

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

3 bananas, sliced

2 oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 cup seedless grapes

2 cups blueberries

Bring orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.

Layer the fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries. Pour the cooled sauce over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving.