Grilled Bell Pepper Salad with Sesame Dressing

Grilled Bell Pepper Salad with Sesame Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2cm-squares

2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2cm-squares

2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2cm-squares

4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

12 Asian shallots, thinly sliced

1 handful of Thai basil

1 handful of coriander

4 tbsp pounded smoked fish

1 tbsp each of black and white sesame seeds

Extra black and white sesame seeds, toasted for garnish

For the dressing:

1 tbsp each of black and white sesame seeds, toasted

250ml coconut cream

1 ½ tbsp palm sugar

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

Salt to taste

Method

Marinate bell peppers in sunflower oil, pepper and salt for about 20 minutes.

Grill peppers on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes on both sides and set aside to cool. You eat the skin in this dish so do not burn it.

Whisk all dressing ingredients together and keep in fridge. Place peppers in bowl, then add half the shallots, basil, coriander, smoked fish, sesame seeds and the dressing.

Mix gently using two spoons. Divide salad between 4 plates, top with remaining shallots and some toasted black and white sesame seeds.

If you don't like the skin of peppers, grill or roast them until the skin is blackened and then place in a bowl, cover with plastic, and leave for a few minutes. The skin will then easily peel off.

From Spiders to Water Lilies

The non-profit Friends-International's restaurant, Romdeng is putting Cambodian cuisine on the menu with the launch of their second cookbook From Spiders To Water Lilies, now available in Australia.

If you can't get to Cambodia, traditional Cambodian cooking it is available to bring home with the launch of From Spiders To Water Lilies Cambodian cookbook all proceeds go directly back to Romdeng.

A collaboration of Cambodian recipes by Gutav Auer, head chef and the -Romdeng' team, From Spiders to Water Lilies features over 160 pages of mouth-watering traditional recipes, exquisite photography and inspiring stories from one of Asia's most fascinating countries, Cambodia.

Unlike any other cookbook available, From Spiders to Water Lilies is a unique journey of cuisine as well as culture, hope, change and joy. Ongoing support is needed to continue to run these significant and life changing programs. Proceeds of From Spiders to Water Lilies go directly back to Friends-International projects.

Romdeng is located in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penha and is Cambodia's first social enterprise restaurant and has a serious social mission of getting young people off the streets and empowered through education, vocation training and ultimately employed to build a sustainable future.

Celebrating their fifth anniversary in 2010, Romdeng means -friends' in Khmer (Cambodian) and is renowned within the local community. The restaurant is completely staffed by former street kids who do everything from design the menus, prepare and cook meals, wait tables, and even paint the artwork featured on the walls as well as sew the silk cushions for the chairs.

True to traditional Cambodian cuisine, there are no entrees or mains served at Romdeng (all meals come at once) and there are also no knives, so don't wait for anything more than your fork and spoon!

From Spiders To Water Lilies

Friends-International

www.cambodiancooking.com.au

Price: $45.00