Salads

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Refreshing, easy to make Italian salad sporting the colors of Italy's flag.  Simple ingredients and everything is fresh.  Only 3 main ingredients necessary.  One of my favorite dishes that I will make often.

Ingredients:  

1 ball fresh mozzarella in water

8 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (imitating San Marzano tomatoes found in Italy)

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonaded

Fresh black pepper, ground

Salt to taste

2-3 T extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

In a serving dish, cut up fresh mozzarella into bite size pieces.  Cut tomatoes in half and add to dish. 

Roll up basil leaves,  slice thinly and add to dish.  Sprinkle pepper and salt.  Mix well and caprese salad is ready to eat.

Mango, tomato and fermented tea salad are represented here.  They are all unusual, tasty and have various ingredients and seasonings.  Very little oil is used and each has its own colors and crunch.  The most unusual item is the laphet (tea leaf) which is only grown in mountainous areas in Burma, steamed and pressed to ferment in bamboo vats for many weeks.  These are unlike any Western type salads with oily dressings.

Fermented tea leaves:  https://amzn.to/3Gu1hI8

Vegetable peeler:  https://amzn.to/3EOK0sR

Ingredients for Laphet:

1/4 c laphet (usually preserved in salt and oil)

2 T toasted sesame seeds

3 T crispy garlic-homemade or commercial

3/4 c finely shredded head cabbage

3 T ground dried shrimp or 6 dried shrimp, soaked, drained and cut in pieces

1/4 c diced tomato

1-2 T lime or lemon juice

1-2 diced jalapeno or chili

Fish sauce to taste

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1/4 c chopped green onion

Variety of crispy fried beans, peanuts, lentils, etc.  (premade and comes with laphet kit)

Directions for Laphet:

Toss everything in a bowl.  Adjust seasonings.  Eat immediately to keep everything crispy.

Ingredients For Burmese Tomato Salad:

2 medium size firm and ripe tomatoes, cut into 1" cubes

1/4 small onion, sliced thin, rinsed, covered with water and refrigerated about 30 minutes to crisp up

1/4 c ground dried shrimp

2-3 T fish sauce

1 T lemon or lime juice

2 T garlic oil (from garlic slices fried in oil)

2  T toasted Chana powder (chick pea powder)

2 T coarsely ground roasted peanuts

3 T fried garlic (homemade or commercial)

1/4 c cilantro

1 small chili or jalapeno, diced

Directions For Burmese Tomato Salad:

Mix everything together.  Eat immediately.

Ingredients For Burmese Mango Salad:

1 lb green mango, peeled and shredded (2 medium sized mangoes)

1/4 c ground dried shrimp

1/2 small onion, thin sliced, rinsed, soaked in ice water for 30 minutes and drained

3 T fried garlic

1/4 c fried onion

1/2 c diced tomatoes

1/4 c chopped green onions

3 T fish sauce

1 fresh chili, chopped or sliced

1 T toasted sesame seeds

1/8 t salt

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1 T lime or lemon juice

1 T palm sugar or brown sugar

Directions for Burmese Mango Salad:

Mix everything together and eat immediately.

Full of fresh crunchy vegetables, tofu, fishcake and canned red salmon.  Cool and refreshing for the hot summer.  Great dish for family, potluck, picnics and parties.

Ingredients:

8 oz somen noodles

 2 T oil

14 oz firm tofu, drained in colander for 30-60 minutes

1 large tomato, diced

2 c watercress, broken or cut into2 " pieces (use the tops, save the thick stems for soup)

1/2 c green onion, sliced in 1/4" pieces

1 1/2 c bean sprouts

1 medium Japan cucumber, diced

1/2 c red onion, diced

7 1/2 oz can of red salmon, flaked

Directions:

Cook noodles in boiling water about 5 minutes till soft.  Drain and rinse in cool water.  Drain again and put into a bowl.  Pour oil over and mix well to avoid sticking.

In a serving bowl, add noodles first, then the rest of the ingredients following the list.

Each person can scoop down to get noodles and other items, then drizzle the sauce over.

Sauce:  (Stir all ingredients together)

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c soy sauce

1/2 c vinegar

2 T sesame oil

1 t garlic, minced

This is the most delicious chicken salad you've ever tasted.  It is colorful and healthy, containing colorful vegetables and chicken.  The crunch is from the won bok cabbage and the crisp is from the fried won ton chips.  The dressing is creamy and tangy and you'll want lots of it.

Ingredients:

1 small head won bok (Napa cabbage) or iceberg cabbage

1/2 c carrots, shredded

1/2 c thinly sliced celery

1 c  bean sprouts

1/4 c green onions, chopped

1/2 c cilantro, sliced in 2" pieces

2 c cooked chicken, diced (rotisserie or other leftover chicken)

2 T sesame seeds, toasted

Fried won ton chips

Assembly of salad:

In a large bowl, mix together won bok or lettuce, carrots, celery, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro and chicken.  Sprinkle sesame seeds over, toss in dressing and garnish with fried won ton strips.  Or let each person make their own salad and pour as much dressing as desired.

Dressing:

1 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c fresh lemon juice

1/2 c oil

1 T sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise till smooth.  Add rest of ingredients and whisk everything together till very smooth and sugar is dissolved.

Won Ton strips:

1 pkg won ton wrappers

1 c oil for frying wrappers

Directions:

Cut won ton sheets into 1/2" strips.  Drop a small handful in hot oil.  Turn pieces over as they brown.  Don't overcook, it burns quickly.  As soon as it is light brown, remove from oil as it will continue to brown.  It only takes seconds.  Drain on paper towels.  Keep extra for snacks in a covered container.