Vietnamese BBQ Chicken Rolls

Thursday Again!

Thursday is my second least favourite day of the week. It is the day I laboriously pore over cooking magazines and try and come up with a week's worth of menus for the family.

I have to bear in mind who will actually be home and eating that night, what can be left simmering or baking away so that it will be cooked when we come in from sport, or what can be prepared ahead and thrown together in a mad dash when we get in - never a fun or easy task. The least favourite day of the week?? Friday - the day I go and "hunt and gather" for the family and then bring it all home to store it away.

The task is still ahead - I am procrastinating, and diverting my attention at the moment - if I don't think about it perhaps I won't have to do it!!!!

SO.... while I procrastinate I am poaching a couple of chicken breasts in a ginger, garlic, shoaxing cooking wine, honey and water concoction. I plan to make sushi for "the darlings" lunch tomorrow. It was my birthday yesterday and they bought me a sushi ezi sushi maker ..... is this a hint???? So being the good little domestic goddess that I am I am making them some chicken and avocado sushi.

Procrastinating more and diverting again I must share with you about my lunch. After a hard workout morning I was quite famished so I headed off to the local Vietnamese restaurant for a BBQ chicken roll. Have you ever had anything so good - so healthy and so cheap for lunch $4!!!! You can't beat that. For those of you that haven't discovered these delicacies yet I will share with you a recipe so you can make them yourself. These really need to be made ahead of time - so if you have the chance start this the night before.

Vietnamese BBQ Chicken Rolls

Lebanese cucumber sliced in long thin slices (shave the slices with a vegetable peeler)
carrot, shaved lengthways, and then cut into ribbons (if you have a mandolin - use it!!!)
avocado, thinly sliced
tomato thinly sliced
iceberg lettuce, shredded
Onion, and sliced chilli (both optional)


Heat 1 cup of rice vinegar with 1/2 cup of caster sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then cool. Add the shredded carrot - leave for at least 2 hours - preferably overnight. This is the really important part - the sweet "pickly" flavour of the carrots is the star of this sandwich! Make sure to drain well before adding to the rolls - don't want soggy rolls!

Combine
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs peanut oil
1 tbs honey

To this mixture add 500g chicken thighs which have been trimmed of excess fat. Leave overnight if possible.

Next day cook the chicken on the BBQ for about 5 minutes each side or until they are caramel brown and cooked through. Once cooked, slice thickly.

Now to assemble the rolls - you need beautiful crispy baguette rolls - put in avocado, lettuce, cucumber, tomato and carrot - chilli and onion if you wish. Sprinkle liberally with soy sauce. Top with the chicken. To finish it off add sprigs of coriander (stalks and all).

Heaven in a roll!! Try and eat it and not make a mess!! Me, I am spoilt - why make it when I can buy it for $4!!

Must go - the menu planning is still waiting - damn it didn't go away even though I did!!!