Summer Mango Couscous Salad

When I first moved to Asia, I was really excited about cooking with all of the local spices - galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime... I had grand visions of asian sesame slaw, tempeh stir-frys and mango spring rolls. However, limited kitchen space and utensils combined with a vibrant, reasonably-priced restaurant scene means we eat out or order in almost every night.

It's been summer here in Bangkok for a few months already, but I did recently feel inspired to try a new, light salad for the season. Mango in some form (green, pale yellow, orange) is available almost year-round here, typically paired with sticky rice and coconut cream. Here I used ripe yellow mango to brighten a simple couscous salad - the juicy sweetness of the mango rounds out the punch from the red onion and complements the salty, creamy crumbs of feta. I ate this on lettuce, but I bet the couscous could serve as a nice bed for some grilled salmon or shrimp for a heartier meal.

I love couscous because there are so many salad variations you can make with it. This summer-y mango version of couscous salad is a refreshing and light lunch option, but the bold mix of flavors makes it very satisfying.

Ingredients -
1 ripe yellow mango, sliced into small cubes
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped (cilantro may work too, I just had parsley on hand)
4 cups cooked couscous, fluffed
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup crumbled feta (optional for vegan version)

Dressing -
Combine 2 tablespoons pesto with the juice of 1.5 lemons and slowly whisk in about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Process -
1. After cooking the couscous according to instructions on the package, fluff the couscous and while it's still warm, measure out about 4-5 cups of the couscous into a large bowl.
2. Add the minced garlic, red onion, parsley and grape tomatoes into the couscous and toss.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the couscous, tossing lightly to ensure the dressing is incorporated through out. Add more cooked couscous if you prefer a drier couscous salad. The tomatoes, mango and dressing dampens the couscous which I prefer.
4. Toss in the crumbled feta - add more or less to taste.
5. While lightly tossing the salad, add in the mango cubes little by little, taking care not to mash them too much while mixing.
6. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and some salt and black pepper to taste.

Bon appetit!

(Sidenote: For those of you in Bangkok, I was able to purchase the lemons, pre-made pesto, parsley, feta and couscous at Villa Supermarket near the Phrom Phong BTS station.)

It's Summer in the City

Some pictures from last weekend in New York, a fun-filled two days with family, friends and good food...

 

 (above, me and my friend Patri who took us for a delicious brunch at Mimi's Hummus. Now visions of steamy, spicy shakshuka fill my dreams. I can't wait to try this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.)

Let's Roll!

Though I was in Vietnam for work, I was lucky enough to visit Ha Long Bay for my first weekend. How could I be so close to one of the newly announced natural world wonders and not see it?

While there are plenty of pictures of the actual scenery coming soon, I first wanted to share a delicious recipe for fresh spring rolls. We got to assemble and enjoy these on the roof deck of our boat, while soaking in the incredible sunset sweeping over the bay. It was a surreal experience and these tasty rolls made it all the better!

FRESH SPRING ROLLS

The original recipe has been adapted for vegetarian sensibilities :-) I haven't specified exact measurements since the original recipe is all in grams, but exact measurements aren't particularly needed here!

Ingredients:
Spring Rolls
- Cooked rice vermicelli noodles
- Omelette, sliced into thin ribbons
- Fresh mint and coriander, leaves only
- Fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- Fresh lettuce, torn
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Thinly sliced chili pepper (optional)
- Rice paper

1. Place an individual sheet of rice paper onto a plate and lightly brush the entire surface with water (only one side of the sheet)
2. Spread a thin layer of noodles across the diameter of the rice paper. Repeat with the omelette ribbons.
3. Layer the torn lettuce and herbs on top. Sprinkle with the ginger, sesame seeds and, if you like, sliced chili.
4. Carefully wrap one end of the rice paper around the fillings, and then slowly roll towards the open end of the rice paper. You can leave the ends open or tuck them in like a burrito.

Dipping Sauce
- Water
- Sugar, to taste
- Garlic, minced
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Minced mint and coriander
- Rice vinegar, to taste
- Sesame oil

1. Combine the minced garlic, herbs, lemon juice, dash of rice vinegar and sugar in a small dish, and add sesame oil and water to taste. This was adapted from using fish sauce - if you prefer fish sauce, the ratio is 1 part fish sauce to 5 parts water.

Some variations I'm dying to try include using curried tofu instead of egg and making a spicy peanut dipping sauce. To me, the fresh herbs and ginger are key, but really the possibilities are endless!

The Key to Anyone's Heart...

To lighten things up around here, I thought I'd share a recipe. Celebrating February 14th usually involves lots of indulgences - chocolates, champagne, a nice dinner. This Nutella swirl pound cake recipe is just as decadent but comes from humble beginnings. Aside from the usual pantry staples, the only game changing ingredient is one full jar of Nutella. 

I like to use less Nutella than the recipe calls for. A full jar tends to overwhelm the pound cake and sometimes get burned on the bottom. I also like to swirl a bit of Nutella on the top layer to make it more interesting (see above). I made this yesterday for the second time, so I can guarantee it will help you keep that warm, fuzzy feeling even after Valentine's Day is over. 

(p.s. - I added an extra stick of butter by "accident", but the results were incredible! Despite what the recipe says, definitely do not wait two hours for it to cool. You want the cake to be warm and the Nutella to be gooey. This goes incredibly well with morning coffee.)

Millions of Peaches

How beautiful are these peaches? It's like a sunset in a box. 

I recently discovered that I'm allergic to raw peaches but bizarrely (and thankfully!) can still enjoy cooked peaches. I'm dying to try this recipe with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream. I can't imagine anything tasting more like summer.  

When Life Gives You Lemons...

...make some lemonade. Spiked, preferably. This weekend is another scorcher so we decided to make lemonade from scratch. I adapted this recipe, substituting basil for mint. I'll take a tall one please, heavy on the ice.

I've been thinking a lot lately about finding work-life balance. Especially since some recent changes at work are threatening to throw my parents' fall visit off plan. Every day at the office poses a challenge - should I eat at my desk so I can get out of here by 5:30? Should I stay late so I can knock out this one assignment?

In a meditation retreat I attended a couple years ago, the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh said that too often, we think of time in segments. We divide our day into “work time”, “study time”, “parent-child time” or “me time”. But really, all of your time is “me time”.

I try to remind myself of this whenever I feel inclined to rush through work-related tasks mindlessly so I can take a long lunch, or attend a yoga class.  In reminding myself that the present is “me time”, I can bring my mind’s full attention to the task at hand.

This proves increasingly difficult within our society, particularly for my generation and younger, as it adapts itself to interacting with tabbed web browsers displaying multi-paneled webpages that are light on substance and heavy on the pictures, polls, and links. I’ve noticed my weakening ability to focus even when reading magazine articles. I got up twice while writing this entry – first to take some carrots out of the oven, and then to make myself a tomato salad (yes, my mind’s digressions mostly involve food). I even wonder if you, my dear reader, have made it this far in my post without taking a peek at the luscious lemonade recipe link or discovering who Thich Nhat Hanh is.

As I reach the bottom of my glass, I ask – what do you do to stay balanced?