Bum Ga Nuong (Grilled Chicken and Vermicelli Salad)

Note from Cheri: This recipe comes to us from Chef Viet Tran of New York City's and Philadelphia's Le Colonial Restaurants. Clint Brownfield visited Le Colonial in New York. Follow this link for his full report as well as more great recipes.

4 boneless chicken breasts (2 whole breasts split to make 4 pieces) 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 whole shallots, finely chopped 1/8 cup vegetable oil 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded 1 cucumber, sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 1/4 cup unsalted, chopped, roasted peanuts 1/2 cup dry rice vermicelli pasta (available in Asian grocery stores) Dressing 4 oz. water 1 oz. lime juice 2 oz. fish sauce 1 oz. sugar 1 tsp. chopped garlic 1 T crushed red pepper 2 T vegetable or olive oil

Serves 4 Mix dressing ingredients together. Set aside. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add pasta, remove after 3-4 minutes or when almost soft. Strain in colander. Marinate chicken breasts in the garlic, shallots, salt and pepper and vegetable oil for at least an hour. When ready to cook, grill chicken on both sides until done (about 10-15 minutes). Cut into bite sized pieces. In each of 4 bowls, divide leue and cucumbers. Top with vermicelli. Arrange chicken on top of pasta. Pour about 2 oz. of dressing on each salad. Sprinkle with fresh mint and peanuts. Remove shells from shrimp and clean. shrimp in garlic, shallots and vegetable oil. Set aside. Thinly slice cucumber, carrot, daikon and red onion and mix together in a bowl. Add dressing and set aside. Heat grill. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and 1T of the chopped basil. Grill on both sides and removed when cooked (less than 5 minutes). Put cucumber and carrot mixture in the middle of each of 4 plates. Arrange shrimp around, then sprinkle with remaining chopped basil, mint peanuts and fried shallots.