'STREETS TRAINEE RECIPE CONTEST,' Live Hoi An, Dec 2010 - Each issue, Live Hoi An features a recipe for our readers to recreate back home. For this edition we would like to feature the soon-to-be graduates of the STREETS Restaurant Café.

The program provides disadvantaged youth – often from extreme poverty – with the opportunity to attain an internationally-recognized certificate in culinary arts or food and beverage service. The non-profit organization has developed a curriculum with the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, so all trainees receive the same professional training they would in international hospitality or culinary schools anywhere.

STREETS founder, Neal Bermas explained that in their first 8 weeks, all trainees undergo orientation to experience both professional cooking (culinary) and service (hospitality). At the end of this, they are expected to choose which field they want to specialize in. Also, at the end of orientation they participate in a recipe contest. All trainees are divided into small groups and must develop, cook and present one dish. This includes the recipe, breakdown of food costs, suggested menu price and plate presentation. The dish is judged by a panel of culinary experts and must be suitable to serve at the STREETS Restaurant Café. The winning group's dish is added to one of the STREETS' menus, and they are awarded lunch at a local restaurant.

The following recipe is the winner of the first class of STREETS International Trainees who are due to graduate in December 2010, it is called “Squid’s Love” and is available on the STREETS menu.

SQUID'S LOVE
Calamari Rings - Lightly Breaded and Wok Crisped

Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients:
Fresh Squid: 0.3 kg
Chicken Egg: ½  beaten egg
Frying powder: 5g   (equal parts of rice flour, wheat flour, corn starch and tapioca starch)
Salt and pepper seasoning
Saigon Chili sauce: 1 teaspoon (any prepared chili sauce of water, sugar, tomato, garlic, chili, salt, and vinegar)  Baking powder: 50g

Preparation:
Clean and prepare squid for frying, cut round, keeping the tentacles in one piece.
Season the squid with salt and pepper and chili sauce.
Dredge in the frying powder, dip in egg and baking powder.
Wok fry in hot oil until light brown.
Drain on paper towel, serve on plate with seasonal green and dipping sauce (recommended:  mix mayonnaise with chili sauce until pink and use as dipping sauce).