Asian Coleslaw Recipe

I'm not sure this even counts as a recipe, it's so easy. It's a chunky, filling, nutrient-packed alternative to a green salad, or a traditional creamy coleslaw. We eat it with spicy marinated lamb chops or chicken, and sometimes just with a fried egg on top. It will last a few days in the fridge, so when I'm trying to be healthy I'll make a big bowl and take it to lunch every day. I hope you like it too.
Asian Coleslaw
1/4 red cabbage or wombok, shredded
2 cups bean sprouts
2 carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1/2 Lebanese cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
1 small red chilli, diced finely
3 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
Dressing
2 Tbs sweet chilli sauce
1 Tbs lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
Toss together all the ingredients. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over the salad. Add fresh coriander if you have some. Enjoy with a clear conscience!

Warm Chicken and White Bean salad

I've been eating lots of beans and lentils lately. Beans are lovely in winter comfort food - but I've discovered they are pretty good in salads too. This is loosely inspired by a recipe on Taste, but by the time we ate, it was pretty different.Warm Chicken and White Bean salad
300g chicken thigh fillet
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in thick slices (maybe three slices each)
2 good handfuls of lettuce leaves
1/2 red capsicum, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Season the chicken, then marinade in the garlic, mustard and vinegar for at least 20 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on high, then sear the chicken for one minute on each side. Turn the heat down to low, and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, grill the tomatoes until cooked to your liking. Combine all ingredients and serve with the lemon wedges.

Peking Duck Salad. Sort of.

Even really good blokes occasionally have shopping glitches. It's something to do with how boys are programmed, I think. But this may not be entirely Ryan's fault:
Act 1:

Setting - Chinese Barbecue Place
Ryan (pointing at hanging Duck): Can I get a barbecue duck, please.

Counter person: A duck?

Ryan: Yes, a duck.

Counter person stuffs something in a bag. Ryan pays, takes bag and leaves.

Act 2:

Setting - kazari's tiny orange kitchen

Ryan(handing over shopping bag): Here's the duck.

Kazari opens bag and starts dismembering.

Kazari: This doesn't look very duck-like. The meat isn't very dark, and it's kind of the wrong shape...

Ryan: Let me look at that. Oh. I think it's a chicken.

Anyway, this was a great looking recipe in 'the seasonal produce diary', for a duck salad. I made it with chicken, and it was awesome. But next time I hope to make it with duck.

salad of peking duck with chilli, coriander and mint

1/2 Chinese cabbage, shredded

a handful of bean sprouts

4 spring onions, sliced

1/2 cup roasted cashews

2 small red chillies, sliced

1 cup corander leaves

1/2 cup Vietnamese mint

all the meat removed from 1 Peking duck.

Dressing

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp lime juice.

Does this really need instructions? Mix everything together in a big bowl, and share.

Many thanks to the lovely J, who gave me the diary for Christmas.