Thai Banana and Chilli Salad with Thai Style Chicken

Cookbook Challenge Challenge #2 - Citrus Fruits

The question has been raised on other blogsites as to whether a salad is a "bloggable" item?

Well certainly not the salads of my youth.

I still remember them......on those hot summer's nights my mother used to artfully arrange the salad on our plates.  The piece of iceberg lettuce, the wedges of tomato, slice of cheese, a little beetroot, perhaps some grated carrot and a hard boiled egg, and of course cold meat of some kind.  Then for something a little exotic - she added a slice of orange!!  The dressing of course was a dollop of mayonnaise!  Thank goodness we have moved on from those days.  I think the only places you will find a salad like that now is in nursing homes, or RSL clubs (oh, and maybe perhaps at my mum's!)

So I say, yes a salad is a bloggable item if it is truly a salad that brings together a melange of flavours that you probably never would have considered before.  Such is the case of last night's salad.  I am not sure where I got the recipe for this salad - but I seem to recall pulling it from a newspaper many years ago and making it on the spur of the moment - needless to say it has become an integral part of our summer repertoire now.

This was one of those meals where the side was where the idea started - so what to serve with it?  Some kind of barbecued chicken.  I went and purchased all the items necessary to make the salad, and some chicken drumsticks and a couple of breast pieces, not really knowing what I was going to do with the chicken, but here is what unfolded.....

Thai Style Marinated Chicken


Serves 6

Combination of chicken drumsticks (skin removed) and breast pieces 1-2 pieces per person

4tbs fish sauce
6 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbs light soy sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
1 tbs palm sugar, grated (I actually used 1 cube of Jeeny's - which is 15g)

Combine all the above ingredients and place in a large ziploc bag.  Add the chicken pieces and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes - longer if possible.

When ready heat the BBQ, by turning to high, but once warm, turn down to low.  Add the chicken drumsticks and cook for around 15-20 minutes, turning several times.  You have to cook them slowly to ensure they cook all the way through and just don't burn on the outside!!  Add the breasts for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time (depending on the thickness of the pieces).

Thai Banana and Chilli Salad

2-3 bananas, (depending on size) sliced
assorted salad greens
1 lebanese cucumber, sliced
1 cup of snow pea sprouts
1/4 cut chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped coriander
chopped roasted cashews or peanuts to garnish

Dressing

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs lime juice (approx 1 lime)
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk (you can use light)

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a screw top jar.  Shake to combine.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl (except the bananas).  Just before serving add the bananas and the dressing, mix well.  Top with the chopped nuts.

It was a truly lovely light summer's meal.  The underlying lime notes, the kick of the chilli, the sweetness of the banana - yumm!!!

Give it a go - you will be pleasantly surprised!

So Dear Readers what memories do you have of salads of your childhood?  What are the strangest combinations (that have worked) have you tried in a salad?  Do tell.