Green papaya salad

Green papaya is said to help fight stomach ulcers. It also aids digestion.

Green papaya should always be stored in the fridge and used within one week.

The seeds of the green papaya should be discarded, whereas ripe papaya seeds can be dried and ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.


Green papaya - Part 1.

Light and tangy, this makes a great appetiser or quick-fix lunch.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1/2 medium green papaya, finely sliced
5 lettuce leaves, shredded
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 chilli padi, chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coriander leaves
4 frozen crabsticks, thawed and thinly sliced
100g honey-baked ham, finely sliced
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed

Dressing:
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
1 heaped tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp fine brown sugar

Method:
1. Pat dry shredded green papaya. Arrange lettuce and cherry tomatoes on a serving dish.
2. Whisk all the salad dressing ingredients together.
3. Add chilli padi, shallots, coriander and green papaya to the dressing and mix well.
4. Put green papaya, along with the dressing, sliced crabsticks and ham on top of the lettuce.
5. Garnish with ground peanuts and serve immediately.

Tips:
Add 2 tsp small dried shrimps (soaked first) to the dressing.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2007)

Warm caesar salad

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
A handful of garlic croutons
8 slices bacon, cut into small dices and fried till crispy
12 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
12 grey prawns, shelled and cooked
Shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

Caesar dressing (makes 600ml):
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
Juice from 1 lemon
500ml olive oil
50g parmesan cheese
A pinch of salt

Method:
1. To make the dressing: combine egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and lemon juice in a food processor. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream until thick and creamy. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt to taste. (If the dressing is too thick, add a little warm water and stir well.)
2. Gently toss romaine lettuce in 200ml of the dressing until evenly coated. Divide lettuce between individual oven-proof bowls.
3. Garnish salad with croutons, bacon bits, tomatoes, prawns and shaved parmesan cheese.
4. Place salad under a salamander or oven toaster for just 5-10 seconds until the cheese topping is slightly melted. Serve immediately.

Tips:
This recipe calls for only 200ml of the dressing. Remaining dressing can be kept tightly covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Recipe source: Food and Travel magazine (Feb 2007)

Salmon Tofu with chilli bean sauce

Ingredients (serves 2):
500g salmon, cut into small pieces
2 pieces silken tofu, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp chilli bean sauce
1 tbsp oil
4 spring onions, cut into 1cm pieces

Method:
1. Heat the pan over medium heat and pour oil. Add minced garlic.
2. When the garlic starts to brown, add salmon, tofu and cherry tomatoes.
3. Next, add the chilli bean sauce. Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes till salmon and tofu are cooked through.
4. Sprinkle spring onions on top and serve.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)

Bagged salmon with capsicums and olives

Spanish inspired quick meals - Part 2.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 salmon fillets
olive oil
2 tsp honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
sprinkling of dried herbs of your choice (oregano, fennel, rosemary, etc), optional
salt and pepper to taste
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 red yellow capsicum, chopped
12-15 cherry or honey tomatoes, halved
12-15 black olives, pitted and halved
large squares of grease-proof paper for wrapping fish

Method:
1. Rub salmon fillets with salt and pepper, honey, olive oil, chopped garlic, and if using, about 1 tsp of herbs of your choice.
2. Place 1 piece of fish in the centre of each sheet of grease-proof paper.
3. Divide capsicums, olives and tomatoes among the fish. Place them on top and around the fish.
4. Wrap each fish up in the grease-proof paper and scrunch the top to secure.
5. Place them in a baking tray so that the juices will not run out.
6. Bake in an oven at 200 deg C for 10 minutes until cooked.

Tips:
Prepare this in the morning and store in the refrigerator. Bake it when you return. Add a sprinkling of paprika if you want it a little spicy.

Recipe source: Family magazine (Feb 2007)