Not many of us
manage to stick by the rules of healthy eating, especially when it
comes to dinner which, nutritionists tell us, should be eaten at least
three hours before bedtime. However we can avoid system overload in
our slumbering hours by eating sensibly after dark. This means eating
foods that are easily digestible, foods that are as near to their
natural state as possible and foods that, if not raw, are lightly
cooked: preferably steamed or grilled so that their nutrients are
not zapped or strangled by heavy sauces. We should put a hold on our
portion size, eat slowly and masticate!
Don't
worry about clock watching if you take this evening meal on the lip
of Ayung River Gorge at The Chedi in Ubud, Bali, where the location
alone will set you up to eat properly and slowly and sleep blissfully
afterwards.
Tuna
Tartar With CucumberYoghurt Sauce (one serving)
75
gms (3oz) : fresh red tuna (sashimi grade), 20 gms (1tbps) : pickled
ginger slices, 1 tsp : fresh ginger juice, squeezed from grated ginger,
3-4 (1/4 cup) : spring onions, chopped into small rings, 1/8 tsp :
wasabi paste, 1 tbsp : soy sauce, 1 recipe : cucumber yoghurt sauce,
to garnish : shredded cucumber, sesame seed cracker, sesame seeds.
Cucumber
Yoghurt Sauce Mix together I tbsp yoghurt, 2 tbsp pureed cucumber
(seeds removed), salt and pepper to taste.
Method Cut the tuna into small cubes. Mix the Wasabi paste
and soy sauce until smooth.Toss the tuna with the Wasabi and soy and
the other Ingredients until well mixed. On a plate pack the shredded
cucumber garnish halfway up a metal or pastry ring.Tightly stack the
tuna mixture on top to form a cylindrical structure. Pour a circle
of cucumber yoghurt sauce around the tuna. Remove the ring. Sprinkle
with sesame seeds and serve with a sesame seed cracker on top.
Grilled
Chicken Teriyaki and Spicy Noodle Salad (one serving)
150
gms (5 oz) : chicken breast, boneless and skinless, 125 gms ('/2 cup)
: soba noodles, 30 gms (2 tbsp) : carrots, shredded, 25 gms (1/4 cup)
: broccoli florets, 15 gms (1/2) : leek, julienned, 20 gms (2 tbsp)
: snowpea pods, 15 gms ( I tbsp) : pickled ginger, julienned, 1/8
tsp : Wasabi paste, 5 gms (2 tbsp) : nori, shredded In strips, 1 recipe
: Teriyaki Sauce (see below), 1 recipe : Dressing (see below) .
Teriyaki
Sauce Mix together 7 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, I tsp chopped
garlic, I tsp chopped ginger, 7 tsp Sake and 7 tsp Mirin.
Dressing Mix together I tbsp rice vinegar, I tbsp Kikkoman
soy sauce, 2 tbsp Mirin, I tbsp sesame oil, I tsp Sake and 2 tbsp
chilli oil.
Method Marinate the chicken breast in theTeriyaki Sauce for
at least two hours. Cook the noodles until al dente, approximately
two minutes. Cool them down in iced water and drain them. Keep aside.
Blanch all the vegetables. Grill the chicken breast and slice. Toss
the noodles with the vegetables, pickled ginger and Wasabi. Pile them
all into a spiral.Top with the chicken pieces and nori strips and
sprinkle Dressing and sesame seeds on top.
Grilled
Fruit Skewers with Honey Yoghurt Sauce
(one serving)
150
gms (5 oz) : chicken breast, boneless and skinless, 125 gms (1/2 cup)
: soba noodles, 30 gms (2 tbsp) : carrots, shredded, 25 gms (1/4 cup)
: broccoli florets, 15 gms (1/2) : leek, julienned, 20 gms (2 tbsp)
: snowpea pods, 15 gms (1 tbsp) : pickled ginger, julienned, 1/8 tsp
: Wasabi paste, 5 gms (2 tbsp) : nori, shredded In strips, 1 recipe
: Teriyaki Sauce (see below), 1 recipe : Dressing (see below).
Teriyaki
Sauce Mix together 7 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, I tsp chopped
garlic, I tsp chopped ginger, 7 tsp Sake and 7 tsp Mirin.
Dressing Mix together I tbsp rice vinegar, I tbsp Kikkoman
soy sauce, 2 tbsp Mirin, I tbsp sesame oil, I tsp Sake and 2 tbsp
chilli oil.
Method Marinate the chicken breast in theTeriyaki Sauce for
at least two hours. Cook the noodles until al dente, approximately
two minutes. Cool them down in iced water and drain them. Keep aside.
Blanch all the vegetables. Grill the chicken breast and slice. Toss
the noodles with the vegetables, pickled ginger and Wasabi. Pile them
all into a spiral.Top with the chicken pieces and nori strips and
sprinkle Dressing and sesame seeds on top.
Grilled
Fruit Skewers with Honey Yoghurt Sauce (one serving)
2-3
slices : pineapple, peeled and cored, 1 : banana, 1/2 : papaya, 1/4
: melon, seeded, 1 tsp : honey, 1 tsp : lime juice, 1 tbsp : butter,
1 recipe : honey yoghurt sauce (see below), to garnish : mint.
Honey
Yoghurt Sauce Mix together 2 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tsp honey, seed scraped
from 1 vanilla bean, 1 gm (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon.
Method Cut the fruit into large cubes of equal size and skewer
them. Brush them with lime juice and a bit of honey (optional). Then
brush with butter and grill. Try to get sear marks from the hot grill.
drizzle the sauce over the skewers and garnish with springs of mint.