Do try this at home: healthy recipes

On a new year diet? Then try these low-fat lovelies from Gizzi Erskine

Grilled Vietnamese chicken noodle salad

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 5 minutes

• 1 stalk lemongrass, peeled of its leaves, then very finely chopped
• 3 lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• ½tsp turmeric
• 1tsp golden caster sugar
• 2tbsp fish sauce
• 3 chicken thighs, boned, skin on
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1tsp groundnut oil

For the sauce

• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
• 2tbsp agave nectar
• 2tbsp fresh lime juice
• 100ml rice wine vinegar
• 100ml fish sauce

For the salad

• 100g thin rice noodles
• 8 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
• ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced into matchsticks
• 6 spring onions, cut into matchsticks
• ½ carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 12 large mint leaves, finely chopped
• Small bunch of coriander
• 1tbsp roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Mix together the lemongrass, lime leaves, garlic, turmeric, sugar and fish sauce in a bowl. Rub the chicken thighs and sliced onions with the mixture, then leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by whizzing the garlic, chilli and agave nectar in a food processor. Add the lime juice, wine vinegar, fish sauce and 50ml of water, then stir to blend.
Put the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand for about 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, then divide the noodles between two bowls. Mix the lettuce, cucumber, spring onions, carrot and tomatoes together, and divide between the bowls of noodles.
Rub the chicken with the oil then heat a griddle until it’s very hot. Grill the chicken, skin side down, for 3 minutes or until it’s crispy and cooked through. Leave to rest, then remove the skin and slice each thigh into 4 pieces. Griddle the onions while the chicken is resting.
Top each bowl of salad with the grilled chicken and onions, then the mint, coriander and peanuts. Finish with a few tablespoons of the sauce. Keep any leftover sauce in the fridge for up to a week and use as a salad dressing.
497 calories 13g fat