Satay Chicken Salad

I am dedicating today’s meal to my Aunty Eye (Irene) who passed away today. Eye was a woman with sparkle and had the name ‘Darling’ ready for anyone, and she meant it. She was ‘Mum’ to everyone. What I learned from Aunty Eye was to relish and love everyday and everyone, and if you love and act from a place that is right then no criticism can touch you. She loved her darling husband, daughters, son, daughter-in-law and they’re blessed brand new baby, and Rosie, April and Pud (the puppies and cat). We’ll never forget you Eye and I thank you for teaching me so much about my family. You are there in a long history of strong, determined and inspiring women. God bless you and all of your family. I know that you’re with us.

Early in her illness Aunty Eye was unable to eat good food and she lamented on any of my photos that showed me gorging myself on lovely green salads, ripe vegetables and delicious smoothies. Hence this meal…

This meal is a really simple dish full of VITAMINS and punch, just for Eye! The ingredients consist of iron rich spinach, anti-oxidant infused tomatoes, zesty cucumber, springy coriander plus parsley, punchy red onion, and water-filled bean sprouts. Cucumber is so effective being so crisp and refreshing. It balances out the heat of the satay and chilli and challenges the red onion.

The trick to this meal is to not over-power with any one ingredient. Small portions of each vegetable per serve is a great way to take advantage and balance the various flavours that are going to blast the palate. As always, less is more.

So the message of today’s recipe is to ENJOY life. Live it, eat well, treat yourself well everyday, pamper yourself, and when you love someone for goodness sake tell them!

And pop on some lounge piano music.

Ingredients

600g skinless chicken breast
2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 tbsp coursly chopped coriander
4 tbsp coursly chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 small carrot
1 small cucumber
4 small red tomatoes, quartered
½ red onion finely sliced
2 large red chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp light olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
250mL Ayam satay sauce
250mL light coconut cream

Method

Prepare the salad into four bowls first by layering ingredients:
– layer ½ cup baby spinach, then finely sliced red onion, and top with coriander and parsley;
– place four quarters of small tomato;
– pile bean sprouts, shredded carrot and shredded cucumber on top;
– and top with finely chopped chilli.

Set salad aside.

Dice chicken into 10cm cubes and slide pieces onto wooden skewers. Brush with soy sauce.

Heat oil in fry pan on medium heat.

Add chicken skewers to pan, sprinkle with finely chopped chilli and cook each side turning regularly.

While chicken is cooking, add satay sauce and coconut cream to a saucepan on medium heat, and blend.

Heat satay mix until combined and thick. Do not boil.

Once chicken skewers are cooked, layer two skewers onto the salad and pour 2-4 tbsp of satay sauce over salad and skewers.

This des not need to be served with anything else. Just sit, eat, enjoy and be happy!

Serves four.