ASIAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN SALAD

Brisbane's Brown Dog cafés’ delectable Cashew Noodle Salad inspired this recipe. I was lunching there with a dear friend last week and this Asian-inspired salad and lime tea was the perfectly light lunch. I have made this recipe twice since then, perfecting the dressing ingredients and quantities (actually remembering to write them down helps, which I do not often do!). It looks like a lot of steps, however if you do not muck around you have had this salad ready in 30 minutes. I love the idea of baking meat in the oven instead of pan-frying it, as your meat is cooked much more evenly and always comes out insatiably tender. Also, the oven warms up my un-insulated house in winter.

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 500g free-range chicken breast, thinly sliced into even 5cm pieces
• 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce 
• 375g rice stick noodles (pad thai thickness)
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped / crushed
• 250g cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, cut into even small pieces
• 1/4-1/2 cup tightly packed fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped, plus extra leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup cashews 
• Optional- fresh Chinese shallots, finely chopped 

Dressing

• the juice of 1 large lime
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine the chicken, sweet chilli sauce and garlic in a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Place in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water just over 1/2 full to the boil. When boiled add the noodles to the pan and cook, stirring frequently so they do not stick, for 5-6 minutes or until the noodles are just tender. Remove from the stove and drain & rinse well in a colander under cold water. 

4. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisking well to combine. 

5. If the chicken has been marinating for at least 10 minutes, place it on the prepared baking tray in a single layer. Cook for 8 minutes and then remove from the oven, leaving to sit and continue cooking for at least 2 minutes. Cut into the biggest piece of chicken you can see to make sure that it is no longer pink inside and is instead white in colour. 

6. Whilst the chicken is baking, dry-fry the cashews on a low heat in a small frying pan on the stove. Stir regularly to make sure that they do not burn. 

7. Combine the noodles, chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, coriander and toasted cashews in a large serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the noodles and toss well to combine. Top with extra coriander and/or chinese shallots, if you wish. 

Serves / 4 - 6 

From fridge to plate  / 30 minutes if you are fast / 40 for the more leisurely 

x Emily 

PUMPKIN & BEETROOT SALAD

With this unseasonably warm August Brisbane is currently having I find myself craving salads again! The only issue with this is that I end up making two dinners every day as my fiancée Chris thinks that salads are ‘not a real meal’. I totally disagree with him in regards to this, as the salads I try to construct always fill me up. This Pumpkin & Beetroot salad has sat in my fridge for the past few days due to how filling it is! Whilst some people may bypass this recipe due to the time required to roast the vegetables, I strongly urge you not to. There’s nothing more flavoursome than eating freshly roasted root vegetables and all you are required to do is to put them in the oven and let the appliance do the work. I have cooked my beetroot the way that Stephanie Alexander swears by for many months (as you can read in step 1) and I would never roast them any other way. Maple syrup brings out the sweetness in the pumpkin and the tahini, garlic & lime dressing makes for a zingy taste. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 3 small or 2 medium beetroot, washed & leaves removed 
• 400g pumpkin, skin removed and chopped into 3cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach, washed
• 1 small handful of rocket, washed
• 1/4 cup loosely packed coriander leaves, washed 
• Optional- one avocado, roughly chopped 

Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped or crushed
• 1 heaped teaspoon tahini 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon water 
• sea salt 

COOKING 

1. To cook the beetroot - Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Cover each beetroot with foil. Place the beetroot into a relatively deep baking dish filled with around 1- 2 cm of water, then add a splash of olive oil to the dish. Bake the beetroot in the oven for 45 -50 minutes or until the beetroot is tender (you can check this by poking the foil with a fork- if the fork slides easily into the beetroot without too much force, your beetroot is cooked). When the beetroot is cooked, carefully remove the foil in the sink (as beetroot loves to stain everything it touches) and peel the skin off each beetroot. Transfer the beetroot to a big chopping board and chop into 3cm pieces. 

2. Meanwhile, cook the pumpkin. Combine the pumpkin pieces and maple syrup in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Prepare a large baking tray with baking paper and evenly spread out the pumpkin on the tray. Roast in the same oven as the beetroot is cooking in for around 15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Remove from the oven. 

3. While the vegetables are roasting, you can make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shaking well to combine. 

4. Combine the beetroot and pumpkin pieces into a large serving bowl, then add the baby spinach, rocket, coriander leaves and avocado (optional). Pour the dressing on top and toss well. Serve warm. 

Serves / 4 as a main 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes maximum

Total Cooking time / 60 - 65 minutes (includes roasting the pumpkin & beetroot)

x Emily