Preparation time: 25 minutes
Serves 6

1 cucumber, washed well
1 tomato, skin and seeds removed,
diced*
1 small onion, cut into thin slices
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar or white
wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 red chili pepper, seeded and
chopped**
pinch of salt

1. With a vegetable peeler, remove strips of skin from cucumber lengthwise, leaving some of the skin intact to add color to the salad. Cut the ends from the cucumber and discard. Cut cucumber into thin slices.
2. Arrange cucumber, diced tomato, and sliced onion in rows in a large, shallow bowl, and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, chili pepper, and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture over the vegetables.
4. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

*To peel a tomato, cut a small x in the skin at the top and bottom.
Place tomato in a small saucepan of boiling water for about 30 seconds.
Remove tomato with a slotted spoon and cool until it is warm but no
longer hot. Use a small paring knife to peel off the skin. It will come
off easily.To seed a tomato, cut the peeled tomato in half and gently
squeeze it over the kitchen sink.
** See tip on page 34 about seeding and cutting chilies.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Serves 6

1 chayote, peeled
1 Granny Smith apple, cored
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut in half
lengthwise with seeds removed*
1 mango**
1 orange, peeled and divided into
sections
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. shrimp paste
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp.
warm water
1 14-oz. can diced pineapple,
drained

1. Coarsely chop chayote, apple, cucumbers, mango, and orange sections.
2. In a large bowl, combine crushed red pepper, shrimp paste, brown sugar, salt, and tamarind to make a paste.
3. Add chayote, apple, cucumber, mango, orange, and pineapple to the bowl, and stir well to combine. Serve at room temperature.

*An easy way to remove the seeds from a cucumber is to use the tip of
a vegetable peeler to scrape them out.
**To peel and cut a mango, set the fruit on a cutting board so that the ridge that
covers the pit is face-up. Using a sharp knife, carefully make two cuts on either side of this
ridge (parallel to the ridge), slicing through the fruit. Discard the pit and place the two halves
on the cutting board, skin side down. Use the knife to score the flesh of these two halves,
creating a checkerboard pattern.Taking each half in your hand, push up in the center from the
skin side to loosen the scored cubes of mango from the skin. Carefully slide the knife
between the cubes and the mango skin to cut them from the fruit.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: overnight
Serves 6

2 envelopes plain gelatin powder
4 c. milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. canned mandarin orange

1. Follow directions on the package to dissolve the gelatin.
2. In a separate pan, combine milk, sugar, and vanilla and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat and add gelatin segments and mandarin orange slices, stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.
   
4. Fill a gelatin mold or medium bowl with cold water and allow to chill for 5 minutes. Pour out the water and fill the mold or bowl with the gelatin mixture. Refrigerate overnight or until firm.
5. If you used a gelatin mold, remove the pudding before serving. Set the mold in a sink or large bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes (make sure that the water level is just below the top of the mold). Remove the mold from the water and place a serving plate facedown over the top of the mold. Carefully flip so that the plate is on the bottom and the mold on top. Lift the mold. If you made the pudding in a bowl, serve as is.
   

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 to 1 c. water
1 lime, zested and cut into wedges
4 small, ripe bananas
1 c. canola oil for frying
1 tbsp. sugar

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Add enough water to make a smooth batter that is somewhat thick. Add lime zest and mix well.
3. Peel bananas and dip them in the batter 2 or 3 times, until well coated.
4. In a deep skillet, heat oil to 375°F, or until a piece of bread browns in 30 seconds.*
5. Place bananas in the oil slowly and carefully. Fry two at a time, until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to absorb the oil.
6. To serve, arrange bananas on a plate and sprinkle with sugar. Garnish with lime wedges.
   

*Do not cook with hot oil unless an adult is present. Use a fat thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

The turmeric in this recipe tints the rice a fun, bright yellow hue

4 tbsp. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 lb. uncooked Thai fragrant rice
3 c. water
1 14-oz. can reduced-fat coconut milk
2 stalks lemongrass
1 tsp. salt
1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thickly
1 tomato, cut into wedges deep-fried shallots
10 fried shrimp crackers

(To fry shrimp crackers, cover the bottom of a large skillet with inch canola oil. Heat oil to 375°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully place shrimp crackers in the oil one by one. Cook until each cracker expands and becomes puffy. Use a slotted spoon to remove each cracker from oil before cracker begins to brown. Drain crackers on paper towels)

1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and turmeric and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until onions are soft but not brown.
2. Add rice and stir to coat.
3. Add water, coconut milk, lemongrass, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
   
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.
5. Remove from heat and cover pan with a dish towel. Set aside for 15 minutes.
6. Remove lemongrass stalks. Mound the rice on a serving platter. Garnish with chili pepper, cucumber, tomato, fried shallots, and shrimp crackers.