Bean Thread Noodles Salad - Not 4 All, Not So Bad

Cooking for someone else is always a challenging task and the same dish does not mean that everyone will like it. So we always need to cook a few different dishes whenever we invite friends to dine with us, especially for those who do not dare to try new dish. This week, I decided to take up a challenge and asked Ms F to whip up a salad dish for our friend, C. 

Here is a short intro about C (By Ms F) 

C is not an adventurous eater and unwilling to try new creations or food that she has never come across before. When she eats out, only food that she is familiar with will be ordered. If she ever decided to try new dishes, a familiar dish had to be ordered too just in case the former did not fit her tastebuds. She loves Swensen's Caesar Salad and would order it whenever Ms F and her dined there. 

So this time, we thought of making a salad for C but not Caesar Salad, by using ingredients that she might eat. Ms F spent a Saturday morning to make Bean Thread Noodles Salad and brought it out for a movie date with C. How did it turn out? Below is that day's summary provided by Ms F on C's response.

The Verdict (By Ms F)

Today I made Bean Thread Noodles Salad for mei (aka C). Somehow in my heart, I know that maybe she is not be able to like it but still have to give it a try. Hmm.. her 1st reaction was looking at me with ?_?, and asking what was that? She asked me what were the ingredients inside? I told her bean thread noodles, ikan bilis, dried shrimps and etc. She did not know bean thread noodles can be made into salad and felt that the ingredients I used were all so weird. 

I asked her give the salad a try then tell me what she thought of it, and to give truthful comments. She ate 2 mouthfuls and told me,"I do not know how to appreciate this salad. When you tell me dried shrimps, ilkan bilis and parsley, I did not like it already. I prefer normal salad. If you give me fruits salad, I'm sure to finish it." 

SAD! She really did not like my salad at all. Well, I did let other people and myself try the salad and it was not so bad like mei said. Though the challenge failed, it was not such a bad dish afterall.

The Sad Salad Challenge!

(A) Main Ingredients: 

1. 2 pkts Bean Thread Noodles (Blanched in boiling water, drained)
2. 4 Medium Prawns (Blanched in boiling water, drained, remove shells)

(B) Side Ingredients:

1. 1 piece Pineapple (Shredded very thinly)
2. 2 pieces Lettuce leaves (Shredded thinly)
3. Parsley (Chopped coarsely into 0.5 tablespoonful)

(C) Fragrance Ingredients:

1. 0.5 tablespoon Dried Shrimps (Soaked in hot water, minced)
2. 0.5 tablespoon Ikan Bilis (Soaked in hot water, minced)
3. 2 Chilli Padis (Pounded)
4. 2 Shallots (peeled, minced)

(D) Texture Ingredients:

1. 1 tablespoon Grated Coconut

(E) Seasonings: (To adjust according to your tastebud)

1. Lemon Juice from 1 lemon
2. 1 tsp Sea Salt
3. 2 tsps Sugar
4. 2 tsps Sesame Oil
5. 2 tsps Fish Sauce

Frying Condiment:

1. 0.5 tablespoon Grapeseed Oil

Method:

1. Stir fry (C) in hot oil in wok till fragrant, remove from wok, put into big mixing bowl, let it cool down
2. Put (A) and (E) into big mixing bowl, mix very well and evenly
3. Add (B) into big mixing bowl, mix very well and evenly
4. Mix in (D) 
5. Put some garnishing lettuce leaves on serving dish
6. Transfer salad from big mixing bowl into serving dish
7. Garnish top of salad with mint leaves