Sensational food

Thai Noodle Salad

(makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
6 oz. dried vermicelli
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 up chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken; shredded or chopped (I used seafood, really nice, prawn, crab meat, baby octopus, and baby mussels)
1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips (I added green and yellow capsicums, looks nice)
3 green onions cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 stalk spring onions, chopped (for garnish)
(I added bean sprouts as well and sliced red onions plus diced red chilly(for garnish, depends on how much you like it whether light, medium hot); I added chopped peanuts or cashew nuts(for garnish); I added 3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar, 1 small grated carrot and chopped fresh mint; 1 tsp crushed ginger)

1. Cook vermicelli according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, fry garlic for a while, combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, crushed ginger, bean sprouts, crushed red pepper, rice wine vinegar. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.
3. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
4. Stir in cooked chicken/ seafood, sweet red pepper, green onions, red chilly, fresh mint and cilantro.
5. Garnish with lime wedges/ spring onions, red onions, peanuts or cashew nuts

Banana milk shake

1 medium size banana
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1/2 c. fresh milk

Combine all ingriedients in a tall plastic cup or a milk shake cup. Place under a milk shake maker then turn the milk shake on and mix until smooth and frothy (or combine all ingriedients in a blender and blend 'til smooth and frothy). Serve immediately.

*** you can use a large banana for a more fruity flavour ***

Ann's Seafood

1/2 kilo baby octupus,
2 tubes calamari, cleaned
1/2 kilo tiger or pacific prawns, cooked and peeled
4 tbsp. ketcap manis
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. soy sauce (i like using Kikkoman)
2 tbsp. garlic sauce

Peter said, I make the best octupus. I don't know how others do it but this is how I cook them beautifully. First, I boil 2 liters of water, while waiting, sliced the calamari tube into a 1cm thick, then cut the baby octupus head and take the eyes off, then halve the tentacles. put together the last four ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mix well then add the prawns in ths marinade. meanwhile, pour boiling water into a large sauce pan, turn the stove on high for 2 minutesthen when you see the water water continously, add the octupus and calamari rings then turn down the heat halfway to make sure it continue to boil, simmer for 10 to 12 mins until the contents are tender but not too cook, drain then add the octupus and calamari into the marinade, stand for half an hour.

Heat a dash of vegetable oil in a non-stick wok. Cook the mixed seafood little by little so it won't get watery and don't end up like a stew (don't include the marinade). Cook about 6 minutes for each batch hten put it otgether when all is finished. Serve on top of boiled rice or on top of cooked hokkien noodles. Add some snow peas and bean sprouts on the last minute (optional). Peter has always been very proud of this dish of mine. I'm proud to have come up of this recipe as well.

Mango salad

Mango salad

1 large green mango
1 large tomato, washed and diced
1 small spanish onion, diced small
2 tbsp vinegar
pepper
salt

Peel mango, washit then tap with paper towel to absorb wetness, then dice it into thin, long strips (1.5cm), put in a medium size salad bowl. Add the tomato and onion, sprinkle with little salt and pepper then add vinegar. Toss well and serve as an appetizer or side. I learned this recipe from my lolo (grand dad) when he was still living at Cainta. Just that it didn't have any tomato. This is savoury and yummy... a filipina friend gave me the green mango on the weekend. "Salamat Nora!!"

Laing

Ingredients:

dried taro leaves
500 ml coconut milk (18 oz.)
1/2 c. water
4 cloves garlic, crushed and diced into small pieces
2 small brown onion, diced
1 tsp salt
pepper
5 tbsp. fish sauce
200 gms. small prawns (or 1/4 kl lean pork, diced into small pieces)
1 tbsp butter
3 pieces small red chille, sliced into 4

In a medium fry pan, heat butter then fry prawns or pork until cook (set aside).

In a medium sized sauce pan, layer the taro, garlic, onion, and chilli then pour 12 oz of coconut milk and pour the water. Sprinkle salt and pepper, then add prawn or meat on top. Simmer in low heat for 20-30 mins until taro is soaked in the coconut milk. Do not mix. Th efirst time I cook it, I mixed it and the taro got a bittery taste. Then pour fish sauce , and add the remaining coconut milk. simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve on top of boiled rice. The first time I cooked it, it wasn't that bad, I even brought some to my friends and they said it git a nice taste. You could always change this recipe, you don't have to put a lot of chilli if you don't like spicy foof and instead of using fish sauce, just add a bit more salt.