This book is amazing. Every recipe is so concise, they barely seem like recipes at all.

Recipe:
Place 100g dried bean thread noodle in bowl and pour over boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until tender, drain. Toss noodles with 1/2 store bought barbecue chicken (shredded), 1 sliced cucumber, 1 chopped tomato, 50g unsalted cashes, 1/4 cup coriander leaves and 1/4 cup basil leaves. Then combine 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce and 1.5 tsp of soy sauce to make the dressing and toss dressing through salad.

The only reason I would call this a salad is because it is eaten cold, although I heated up the chicken. Voila, a quick meal for under $5. Definitely one of those meals that I will cook again. Although cook probably isn't the right word. I will probably put this meal together again. It was just so simple. For one of those days when you just don't want to cook. And it's a lot healthier than instant noodles. I'm not usually a fan of salads because I often find they can be bland. Maybe it was the chicken on the sweet and slightly salty dressing, but I liked the fact that there was a lot of flavour.

Two weeks ago I was back in Sydney eating some of the best food Sydney has to offer; my mum's. I think everyone who moves away from home misses their mother's cooking (or the convenience of having food readily available) but sometimes the benefits of independence outweighs those of a home cooked meal. If it were possible for me to go home every week just so I could eat my mother's cooking I would. I don't even try to replicate her food because I know it will always seem bland in comparison.

I borrowed a Vietnamese cookbook called KOTO, named after a charity in Vietnam that educates kids in the hospitality and tourism industry. I really enjoyed flipping through this book and seeing pictures of dishes that I easily recognise. When I saw this recipe for tofu in tomato sauce I just had to try it. It's not quite Pho, but it still reminds me of traditional Vietnamese food.

Did I do it justice? Unfortunately not. It came down to poor quality tofu. The tofu I bought was way too hard. The tomato sauce was perfect though, although it could have done with a little bit more fish sauce. Add a plate of boiled okra and it felt almost like I was at home again.