Oh, when I visited Vietnam in 1999, I simply love the food. Okay, so being a foodie, I love food, all types or cuisine with fresh taste that tantalize my sense of smell, taste I will try! Only food that are way fatty, steeped in animal oil and greasy, I can’t really stomach.

Enough about me, back to this recipe and dish. The dish, is a famous Vietnamese appetizer and simply a delight! Shrimp is minced into a smooth paste and coated around a sugar cane stick like a lolly, that of a mini American Coney dog, but heaps tastier. Well it is seafood we are talking about here. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients
500g/1lb 2oz raw prawns, peeled and cleaned
50g/2oz pork fat (or use streaky bacon)
100g/3½oz dried shrimp, soaked for an hour in hot water
50g/2oz shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra for dipping
½ chilli, finely chopped, to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 sticks sugar cane (available in some Asian and Caribbean speciality shops)
black and white sesame seeds, for coating
groundnut oil, for deep frying
salad leaves, to serve

Method

1. Place the prawns and pork fat in a food processor and blend to a paste.
2. Add the dried shrimp, shallot, fish sauce, chilli and black pepper to the mixture and blend again.
3. Cut the sugar cane into sticks the size of lolly sticks. Wet your hands and mould a ball of the mixture around the broad end of the cane. Smooth it, so it looks like an egg-shaped lolly. Roll the mixture roughly in the sesame seeds.
4. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. It is ready when a breadcrumb that is dropped in will sizzle gently in it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
5. Deep fry the prawn sticks in the oil for about 5 minutes or until coloured. If possible finish them off over a charcoal fire or grill to crisp up.
6. Serve on a bed of crisp salad leaves using more fish sauce as a dipping sauce. The sugar cane can be chewed at the end to extract the juice.

Try it and share with me your pictures and comments!

Most of us write down a list of items to get when shopping for groceries. Some of us just walk down the shopping aisles and pick up items along the way. Looking round to see what’s best on offer, looks fresh, that appeals to your tastes buds and that of the families.

Even when we create a shopping list, how do you plan what to include that will make up for a week of healthy and balanced meals?

There is really quite a few ways to plan your shopping list.

1st: Think about the 3 meals of the day. Note down what you and your family would require for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Noting down the list of ingredients required for food, beverage, fruits and vegetables (tell me you eat fruits and vegetables. you don’t want to get constipated, do you?)

2nd: Based on nutritional meal . Using the recommended food pyramids, to proportion your budget accordingly. Say, you have $100 for the week for a small family of 3, you would spend. Starting from the bottom of the food pyramid, which is energy food. As price fluctuates, you’ll have to proportion the amount to spend accordingly to the quantity; Below is an approximate guide

• 30% on Energy food that are high in carbohydrates = bread, potatoes, rice, pasta.
• 20% on Fiber and vitamins =vegetable & fruits (they are cheaper then meats so quantity will be more),
• 20% on Protein= Meats , eggs and nuts (nuts, they are healthy but high in oil too, so sparingly)
• 20% on Dairy= Milk, cheese yogurt (for strong healthy bones)
• 10% on Fats and sweets= Butter, oil, ice-cream (its more sugar then dairy!) and chocolates.

3rd: Based on individual lifestyle and taste. This is being conscious on your own or your family members state of health and well being. What you buy to prepare for meals will depend on individual needs. If you are a family member spends most of the time working desk bound, work outdoors, on your feet a lot, just recovered from illness, trying to lose weight, body build etc. What you put into your shopping bag will depend highly on your activity and metabolism rate. Think about the state of health and what proportion of food in the food pyramid you will require.

For me I use all methods 1 and 2 regularly. I think about what I enjoy for breakfast, what gives energy, balance with fruits and vitamins to prepare a nutritional meal. For course what is tasty too.

Also, if you can, try adding colors to your meals. Burst of colors in food are not only appealing, but healthy too. Next time I will share on what are the staple ingredients to have in the kitchen that are essential to prepare quick, healthy and creative meals. Happy eating and choose what you eat wisely!