chicken and mint salad

Whenever I’m in Toronto, I go to one of my most favourite restaurants – Pho Hung. It’s usually my first stop. As in, I don’t need to drop my suitcase off before stuffing my face with Vietnamese awesomeness. I always order the same thing. Always. Never anything else. Never. A huge bowl of noodles topped with pork, a spring roll, fresh veggies and an amazing sauce. It slops all over you, and tastes better than just about anything else I can imagine right now.

I haven’t been to Toronto in ages – it’s pathetic. I’ve been craving Vietnamese food. So, when I stumbled upon this little gem of a recipe, I was quite excited to give ‘er a try. This salad has that perfect combination of mint, tang and sweetness that I crave on a regular basis. And it’s got that fresh taste that Vietnamese cuisine is famous for.

We’ve had a few stormy days here in Halifax, and though dreary weather usually equates to rich, gooey meals at the Cat Farm, we gobbled up this light, refreshing salad on the couch huddled under blankets. That being said, this would be a perfect summer treat as well. You’ve gotta try it. And you know it’s gotta be easy to make – why else would I be telling you about it?

This made enough for two meal-sized portions, but it could serve four as a side salad. Or one person when 2.0 is on a golf trip…

. . .

• 1 Thai chile, seeded and minced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• juice from one lime
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely sliced
• black pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces savoy cabbage, shredded (I use about four to five heaping handfuls)
• 1 medium carrot, shredded, julienned, or grated
• 2 cooked cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded, or cut into fine strips
• 1 bunch mint, chopped