Cajun Chicken Citrus Salad

It’s hot ~ …..  I’m very weak against the heat.   I can just eat watermelon everyday for 3 meals! … if I’m not carrying this cauliflower-sized bub in my belly.  

Now, salad is a perfect dish to cool my body down and it also gives me great nutrition.  This is one of my favorite salad – grilled spicy cajun chicken with citrus and creamy avocado. 

You can also add pitted olives, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, capsicum etc etc for extra texture and color.

<Cajun Chicken Citrus Salad> serves 2

• 200g chicken breast, skinned
• 1 tbs cajun spice
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 orange
• 1/8 red onion
• 2 handful of green leaves
• 1 tbs olive oil + 1 ~2 pinch of salt

1. Slice chicken.  In a mixing bowl, marinate chicken with 1 tbs olive oil and cajun spice for 5 minutes.  (adjust the amount of cajun spice to your liking)
2. Meanwhile, slice onion very thinly.  Segment the orange (take out the flesh from the skin).  Reserve the juice.  Wash lettuce and drain. 
3. Place the lettuce, onion and orange segments in a clean mixing bowl.
4. Heat a frying pan over high heat, and grill chicken until cooked.  Transfer the chicken to the mixing bowl, and pour orange juice and 1 tbs olive oil.  Sprinkle salt, and toss gently.
5. Immediately arrange on the serving plate.  Top with sliced avocado.
6. Serve immediately!

Fresh Tofu and Chicken Salad

The taste of this salad really depends on the freshness of tofu you are using.  I normally buy Japanese silken tofu (or soft and smooth tofu) from Asian grocery shops such as Lion Oriental (Northbridge), Emma’s Seafood (Northbridge), Maruyu (Perth) or Yee Seng (Myaree) if eating fresh.  

I made this salad with sesame dressing (goma dare) that I used the other day at my friend’s house, with some steamed and shredded chicken breast.  I don’t know if I can call it “recipe”, but it is super easy to prepare and this fresh tofu salad is perfect for eating in summer days.

<Fresh Tofu and Chicken Salad> serves 4

• 300 g silken tofu
• 200 g chicken breast
• salad
• ssesame dressing (goma dare)

Crispy Bacon & Green Salad

Branched greens and crispy bacon salad.

• 2 rushes bacon
• 1 bunch broccoli
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 tbs corn
• fresh lemon juice or orange juice

1. Boil water in a large sauce pan.(you can add salt to the water when you put the pan on the stove) While waiting for the water to boil, cut broccoli and asparagus into 2~3cm long.
2. Branch broccoli in the boiling water, then scoop out and drop into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain. Repeat with asparagus. Never leave broccoli and asparagus in the cold water.
3. Slice bacon into 1cm wide. Place bacon on a frying pan (no oil) and turn on the heat. Cook over low to medium low until bacon is golden and crispy.
4. Turn off the heat. Wipe off any excess fat, and turn on the heat again, to high. Add broccoli, asparagus and corn, then stir through.
5. Turn off the heat. Squeeze lemon juice (or orange juice) over, and season well with salt and black pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

Asian Salad

One of my favorite recipe(ºuº*)v  You can add beef, chicken, prawn, scallop… for varieties!!  Colorful and healthy salad.  One important rule you need to follow is: DO NOT OVERCOOK the veggies.  The texture is the key for this salad

<Asian Salad>

• Branch       … Broccoli, Asparagus, Bok Choy
• No Branch … Bean Sprouts, Carrots, Capsicum, Spring Onion

(dressing)

• 3 tbs Oyster Sauce
• 3 tbs Sweet Chili Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Roasted peanuts (or any nuts) – crushed
• 1 bunch fresh coriander
• sesame seeds

1. Boil water in a sauce pan.  Branch vegetables and place in a bowl of iced water quickly to stop the cooking process.  Dry well.
2. Shred carrot and capsicum.  Chop up spring onion.
3. Chop coriander and Mix with all other ingredients for dressing.
4. Place all the vegetables in a bowl.  Mix through dressing sauce just before serving.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

* You can add grated garlic to the dressing if desired.

<Variety>

*Beef Asian Salad…　Stir fry sliced beef with sesame oil and grated ginger.  Mix into the salad.

*Prawn Asian Salad…　Stir fry prawn with garlic or ginger.  Mix into the salad.