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Vietnamese noodle salad

4 teaspoons peanut oil
2 chicken breasts, diced
500g (1 lb) raw (green) prawns (shrimp), peeled and halved lengthwise
125g (4 oz) bean thread noodles
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
3 green onions (scallions), sliced
1/4 cup Vietnamese mint, shredded
1/2 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

dressing

1/4 cup (2 fl oz) lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add half of the oil and stir-fry the chicken for 5 -- 6 minutes until cooked through and golden. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the prawns for 3 -- 4 minutes or until cooked through and pink. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken.

To make the dressing, combine the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside for 4 minutes or until tender. Drain. Combine the chicken, prawns, dressing, noodles, carrot, onions, mint and coriander. To serve, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chopped unsalted peanuts if desired.

Serves 4.

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how to roast vegetable frittata

600g (20 oz) orange sweet potato or pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into eight pieces
2 zucchini (courgettes), quartered
4 baby new potatoes, quartered
olive oil and sea salt for sprinkling

frittata mix

6 eggs
1 cup (8 fl oz) cream
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar or parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shredded basil
cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the sweet potato or pumpkin, capsicum, zucchini and potatoes on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 40 minutes or until soft and golden.

Place the vegetables in a 20 cm (8 in) non-stick frying pan. To make the frittata, whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese, basil and pepper, Pour over the vegetables in the frying pan and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the frittata. begins to set.

Place the frittata under a preheated hot grill (broiler) and cook for 2 minutes or until golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing into thick wedges. Serve immediately with a simple salad or toast.

Serves 4 -- 6.

Other combinations of cooked vegetables can be used to make frittata -- char-grilled eggplant (aubergine) and mushrooms work really well. You can also use leftover roast vegetables and add ingredients such as chopped cooked chicken, drained canned tuna, other kinds of hard cheeses and fresh herbs.

Modern Classics Book 1. Copyright © by Donna Hay. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.