Food

Salad #43 – Easy Thai Cucumber Salad (Tam Taengkwa)

March 28, 2014 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

This salad is a variation on the Thai green papaya salad (Som Tam). This version uses cucumbers instead of the harder to find and less familiar (to me) green papaya’s. It reminds me a lot of the cucumber salad that my Danish grandmother used to make which was flavored with salt and pepper and used cucumbers cut very very thin. It was both familiar and novel. In Thailand it would be served very hot, but at home you can adjust the heat to suit your families tastes.

This salad coincidentally matches up with my new series Around the World in 30 Dishes.

Salad #43 – Easy Thai Cucumber Salad

Author: Dana

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

4 mini cucumbers sliced (or one large)
½ tbsp salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar
squirt sriracha sauce or ½ jalapeno
4 stalks cilantro
chopped peanuts for topping

Instructions

Place the cucumbers in a strainer and mix with the salt. Leave them in the sink for at least 30 minutes.
Rinse with cold water and dry gently with paper towels and place in a bowl.
Whisk the vinegar and sugar until dissolved.
Toss the cucumbers, vinegar mixture, sriracha and cilantro together.
Serve topped with peanuts.
Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander, and leave in the sink to drain for at least 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Whisk together the sugar and vinegar in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro; toss to combine. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top before serving.

Notes

Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/thai-cucumber-salad/

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Did They Eat It?

Stephen: Oh, that’s good.

Anne: Very nice. A little spicier than I would normally eat but it was good.

Dana: Simple to put together and nice textures.

Hoi Tod – Thai Street Food – Egg and Seafood Pancake – Around the World in 30 Dishes: Thailand

March 24, 2014 by danawyyc 14 Comments

Introducing my new series Around the World in 30 Dishes. My goal is to pick several regions around the world and explore it’s food through my kitchen. For each area I’ll try to make about 5 dishes. I want to take my inspiration from foods, techniques or ingredients that you could actually find in that region, but adapt them for a North American home cook. I’ll try to provide substitutions for ingredients that may be hard to find, not use anything that I can’t find in my local (Calgary, Alberta) grocery store and only use cooking tools that I already have at home.

The first region I’ve chosen is Thailand. My Dad recently moved to Thailand and has been trying all kinds of interesting new foods. He told me that Hoi Tod is one of his favorites. Here’s my best attempt and advice for making it at home. I used this recipe as my inspiration and watched a couple videos that you can find at the bottom of the post.

There’s a lot of different (but similar) methods to make this recipe. The method I’ve posted is the one I found the easiest to do. I tried beating the eggs and putting them in with the tapioca flour mixture first, but that didn’t seem to give quite the right result, and I also tried to mix the egg in the ladle but I found that to be a little messy and requiring a larger ladle. Feel free to play around with it, I found it to be pretty resilient to error, I even forgot the seafood one time and my husband still thought it was okay.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Tapioca Flour – I was able to find this in my local grocery store. It’s similar to cornstarch so you can use that in its place
Fish Sauce – If you can’t find fish sauce you can use soy sauce in it’s place.
Cilantro – If you hate cilantro you can just skip it. It is more mild after being chopped and cooked so you may want to give it a try before you decide.

Hoi Tod - Crispy Egg and Seafood Pancake

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

¾ cup seafood (mussels are traditional - I really liked shrimp - you could also use clams or squid etc)
¾ cup seafood (mussels are traditional - I really liked shrimp - you could also use clams or squid etc)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
fresh cilantro (optional)
fresh cilantro (optional)
fish sauce (or soy sauce)
fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1-3 cloves garlic (optional)
1-3 cloves garlic (optional)
3-4 eggs
3-4 eggs
3 green onions
3 green onions
8 tablespoons tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
8 tablespoons tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
½ cup soda water (or 7-Up)
½ cup soda water (or 7-Up)
salt and pepper
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for cooking

Instructions

You'll want to have all of your ingredients prepped before you begin cooking. Slice the green onions, chop the cilantro and prep the seafood you are using.
Heat oil in a large pan on medium high heat. Mix the tapioca flour (or cornstarch) with salt, pepper and soda water.
In a ladle, scoop up a third or so of the tapioca mixture and pour it in the pan. drop the seafood and a pinch of green onions and cilantro on top. Crack the egg in the middle of the batter and break it open with a spatula and move it around to mix in with the rest of the ingredients. I had a tendency to want to pile them into a smaller space at this point but you actually want it to be spread out over a large space in the pan. (You should use a large pan than I did - you will want a BIG pan). This step should all be done fairly quickly.
As the pancake starts to set, push it to the side of the pan and leave it alone while it gets crispy. When the bottom is crispy, flip it and let it cook on the other side. The finished pancake should end up being fairly crispy. I found I tended to undercook them - they still tasted good though so don't stress too much.
While the second side is cooking throw down some minced garlic onto the opposite side of the pan. (If you are using a pan that was as small as the one I used, you may want to do this in a second pan). After the garlic gets aromatic, add the bean sprouts and fish sauce and stir fry until heated.
Serve the pancake on top of the bean sprouts and top with Sriracha sauce (or another spicy pepper sauce if you don't have Sriracha).

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Videos of Thai Street Vendors Making Hoi Tod

I found it helpful to watch videos of Hoi Tod being made. The methods of the vendors are a little different but I found these two both really good.

Salad #42 – Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

March 21, 2014 by danawyyc 4 Comments

This salad is packed so full of nutrition that you just can’t help but feel good about eating it. It will keeps well in the fridge for a couple days which is good because this makes a ton. If you like your food on the spicy side you’ll probably want to increase the amount of chili powder – the recipe is pretty mild as it’s written. You could easily turn this into a great lunch by having some chicken or a hard boiled egg on the side – or even throwing a fried egg right on top.

Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Author: Dana

Recipe type: Salad

Ingredients

1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
2 fresh squeezed limes
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt and pepper to taste
2-3 handfuls of fresh kale or other greens
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1½ cups)
2 large chopped carrots
1-2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 avocado, sliced or cubed (optional)

Instructions

Mix up the dressing by whisking the lime juice, chili powder, olive oil, white vinegar and salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Separate the leaves of the kale from the stems and cut them into tiny pieces. I ran mine through my food processor which worked really well.
Chop the carrots (also great in the food processor) and the bell peppers (less awesome) into small pieces.
Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well.

Notes

Adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2013/06/kale-and-quinoa-salad-with-black-beans.html

Did They Eat It?

Nicky (2 years old): “no.”

Stephen: Good.

Anne: Great. Tangy but not too spicy.

Dana: I liked it. It was easy to put together and it makes a ton.

Salad #41 – Thai Chicken Salad with a Spicy Peanut Dressing

March 15, 2014 by danawyyc 7 Comments

One of my favorite things in the world are those bags of pre-shredded cabbage. They keep well so you don’t have to use them right away, save time and effort and are really versatile. They are great in soups, stir frys, make an easy vegetable side dish or a perfect salad base. I had picked up a bag of cabbage (or coleslaw mix) and a rotisserie chicken while we were at the grocery store and decided to make a meal salad with them. This salad keeps well in the fridge for a couple days too so you don’t have it eat it all at once – the cashews will get a bit mushy though so you may want to put them on at the last minute.

Thai Chicken Salad

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Salad:
chicken - I used 2 breasts from a rotisserie chicken
½ bag coleslaw cabbage mix
1 mango sliced
fresh cilantro (optional)
2 green onions
½ cup chopped peanuts or cashews
Dressing:
1 clove garlic minced
1 squirt hot sauce (sriracha is nice)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar (I used rice wine)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon oil (I used canola oil)
½ teaspoon fish sauce
¼ cup peanut butter (if you are using natural peanut butter you may want to add some sugar)
approx. ¼ cup water

Instructions

Shred the chicken into long strips.
Add the chicken, coleslaw, mango slices and most of the green onions together in a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing.
Serve topped with peanuts or cashews and a little green onion.

Notes

Adapted from http://pinchofyum.com/chopped-thai-chicken-salad

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Did They Eat It?

Gordie: refused to try. no no no.

Nicky: liked the chicken

Stephen: It’s good.

Anne: Really good.

Dana: This is a kind of salad that makes me go back for seconds.

Salad #40 – Carrot and Raisin Salad (Danish Gulerodsalat)

March 7, 2014 by danawyyc 2 Comments

My dad is from Denmark so I thought I would see if I could find a Danish salad for my 52 Salads challenge. Denmark is not particularly known for their salads. The only one I could remember was Agurkesalat which is a pickled cucumber salad. I came across this shredded carrot salad that I don’t specifically remember having but seems very familiar.

It’s a very simple salad and a snap to put together especially if you have a food processor to do the shredding for you. You can make it with or without the apple – the apple adds some nice sweetness but it may also turn a bit brown if you aren’t eating it immediately. I used yellow carrots for this, but they taste exactly the same as the orange ones so just use whatever is handy.

Salad #40 – Carrot and Raisin Salad

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Danish

Adapted from http://mydanishkitchen.com/2010/06/07/carrot-salad-gulerodsalat/

Ingredients

3-5 Large carrots
1-2 apples
1 lemon
handful of raisins
1-2 tsp sugar

Instructions

Shred carrots and apples.
Juice the lemon.
Mix all of the ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

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Did They Eat It?

Nicky (almost 2): wouldn’t eat it

Gordie (4.5 years): I loved it!

Deb: nice gentle little salad

Dana: I really enjoyed this salad. It was even better when it had a bit longer to sit in the fridge.

Salad #39 – California Roll Rice Salad

February 28, 2014 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

Some of you (including my mom) may dispute me calling this a salad. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and call it a rice bowl. No matter what you call it – it is delicious. One of the things that is great about doing it as a salad is that you can customize it for your family. My kids both love California Rolls but Gordie always pops out the avocado and cucumbers (even though he will eat them both by themselves). This is also way easier than making actual california rolls and requires no special technique or even special rice. You can use sticky rice if you want, but you can use your family’s favorite kind of rice and it will still work perfectly.

Salad #39 – California Roll Rice Salad

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice (I used brown basmati)
1 avocado
1 red pepper diced
½ cucumber or 2 small cucumbers diced
1 package imitation crab (or if you are feeling fancy you can use real crab)
Sesame Seeds
Dressing
1 tsp mayo
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
Mix rice, red pepper, cucumber and imitation crab.
Top with avocado, sesame seeds and dressing.

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Did They Eat It?

Nicky: Loved it. Yelled “hey!” when I took the bowl out of her hand.

Stephen: Good.

Dana: I thought it was great. I love California Rolls and this is a much easier and cheaper way to get a similar flavor.

Salad #38 – Tossed Greek Salad

February 5, 2014 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

This salad was inspired by one of my cousin’s favorite salads that she has made with me a couple of times. I usually make it without croutons but she would like you to know that it is much better with them. It’s simple to put together and really satisfying. It makes a great light lunch and can also be a perfect starter salad. Writing this one up is making me wish I had some lettuce so I could make it right now.

Salad #38 – Tossed Greek Salad

Author: Dana

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

Feta
Tomatoes
cucumber
peppers
Greens
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive oil
salt and pepper
croutons (optional)

Instructions

Chop the cucumber and peppers into bite sized pieces. If the tomatoes are small cut them in half - if you are using larger tomatoes chop them into bite sized pieces as well.
Place a bed of greens on each plate and top with the vegetables and feta cheese.
Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top of each salad.

Did They Eat It?

Dana: Get your own salad, this one is mine. [It is possible I did not actually make this salad for anyone but me…]

Salad #37 – Butternut Squash Salad

January 29, 2014 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

Over the last year, I’ve discovered how awesome salads with roasted veggies and fresh greens can be. I’ve made a few different variations for my 52 Salads Challenge but this is one of my favorites. As always, roasting the butternut squash does take a bit of time, but it’s very low maintenance – I’ve found you don’t even need to stir the squash for it to turn out great. This salad provides a nice texture variation and the saltiness of the dressing complements the sweetness of the roasted butternut squash perfectly. You can also top the salad with toasted pita or croutons to help it feel more like a full meal.

Salad #37 – Butternut Squash Salad

Recipe type: Salad

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
salt + pepper to taste
1 romaine heart
⅓ c. tahini
⅓ c. water
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 can chick peas rinsed and drained

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the butternut square cubes with 1 TBSP of oil, salt and pepper in a large ziplock or large bowl. (If you use a large ziplock even your tiniest kitchen helper can help you toss the cubes).
Lay the butternut squash on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes. I find it turns out best if you do not stir the butternut squash while baking. You can peak under to make sure they are not burning but otherwise leave them alone.
Mix the tahini, water, lemon juice, 1 TBSP olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl with a whisk or by shaking well in a small container with a lid.
Serve by putting the butternut squash on a bed of lettuce with the dressing on top or on the side.

Did They Eat It?

Anne: Very tasty. A different combination of foods that I wouldn’t expect to go together. I really like the dressing.

Nicky: Loved the dressing and the beans

Gordie: Loved the beans all by themselves.

Dana: I would make this again for sure.

Salad #36 – Bell Pepper and Grilled Corn Coleslaw

January 20, 2014 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

I’m going to be honest with you. I actually made this in the summer and used grilled corn. Which is awesome. You could easily make this salad any time of year using either corn roasted in the oven or just some frozen corn from your freezer. If you are feeling enthusiastic, or have some cabbages laying around feel free to shred it for this recipe. I love using a bag of coleslaw – it makes prepping this salad a breeze.

Bell Pepper and Grilled Corn Coleslaw Recipe

(adapted from My Invisible Crown’s Grilled Corn Cole Slaw with Tangy Lime Dressing)

Ingredients

2-3 ears grilled corn, kernels cut from the cob.
1 red, yellow and orang pepper sliced thinly
1 bag of coleslaw cabbage mix
juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper to taste
squirt of sriracha sauce (or other hot sauce)

Directions

Mix coleslaw, corn and peppers in a large bowl.
Combine lime, olive oil, vinegar, honey salt and pepper and sriracha sauce together in a small bowl and whisk together or shake together in a small container with a lid until smooth.
Toss the vegetables with the dressing.
Serve cold or at room temperature.

Did They Eat It?

Stephen: Oh, that is good.

Anne: This salad is great and not just because I’m hungry.

Bronwen: Deliciously refreshing.

Gordie: Liked the peppers before they were in the salad

Nicky: Liked picking the corn out of the salad

Dana: I loved this salad. I would definitely make it again.

Salad #35 – Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Salad

December 6, 2013 by danawyyc 1 Comment

I had never had parsnips until I was an adult. My mom didn’t like them, so she never made them. We’ve been getting a bunch in our vegetables boxes from Eagle Creek Farms as part of their Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). Although I don’t have a negative feelings towards parsnips, I don’t really know what to do with them either. I used some of our parsnips in a Moroccan style stew but I still had a ton left over. I thought that perhaps I could make the rest into a salad and this is what I came up with. This would be a great salad for Christmas dinner as you can roast the vegetables ahead of time.

Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Salad

(Inspired by Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Shallots)

Salad #35 - Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Ingredients

8-12 carrots and parsnips
3-6 shallots
olive oil
salt and pepper
greens
Dressing Ingredients
2 tbsp grainy mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F.
Chop parsnips and carrots into bite sized pieces. Cut shallots in half or quarters if they are larger. Toss with oil and salt and pepper.
Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer. I like to line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Because it is awesome. And then the veggies won't stick to the pan.
Cook for 35 minutes, turning the vegetables once or twice. Keep an eye on the shallots, you may want to take them out early so they don't burn. I took mine out about half way through the cooking time.
Meanwhile whisk up your dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well mixed.
When the vegetables are tender, cooked through and a little bit golden, remove them from the oven and let cool.
Toss the vegetables with the dressing. If you are going to serve the salad later, you can put them in the fridge at this point.
Otherwise, toss the greens with a bit of dressing, and layer the vegetables on top of the greens on each plate.

Did They Eat It?

Gordie (4.5 years): Really hates cooked carrots.

Nicky (1.5 years): Liked the parsnips and carrots.

Deb: That’s the only parsnip I have had in my whole life that I actually liked.

Stephen: Good.

Dana: Roasting the parsnips and carrots really brings out their sweetness. I loved this salad and it was just as good the next day.

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Bell Pepper and Grilled Corn Coleslaw Recipe

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Roasted Parsnip and Carrot Salad

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