Burmese green tomato salad

Green tomatoes are a common ingredient that many people overlook. Made famous by the Southern dish (and movie) Fried Green Tomatoes, it is beginning to make an appearance slowly.

This is a lovely and light salad. The tomatoes are crunchy and tart, and their flavour is complemented beautifully by the nuttiness of the peanuts and the herbaceous notes of the cilantro. The spicy dressing and the lime juice tie it all together. The flavour profile is tart, spicy and fresh.

There are a couple of serving options for this salad. The first method is the one I have described below, using tomatoes cut into circles. The second is to wedge the tomatoes and toss them with the rest of the ingredients and dressing for a more traditional dressing. It really doesn't matter, other than the visual impact.

Burma Superstar is a fabulous restaurant that I have enjoyed many meals at, and this recipe is no exception. The recipes are authentic, vibrant, and delicious— it is literally like bringing the restaurant home. This is a wonderful cookbook for Burmese cuisine.

For more recipes from this wonderful cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

3-4 green tomatoes

1/2 cup shallots or 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 lime, halved

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons cilantro, minced

4 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil

1-2 Thai chillies, or to taste

1 teaspoon red chilli flakes

Slice the tomatoes into circles and then each circle into quarters. Arrange the tomatoes to resemble whole slices on a platter.

Scatter with the shallots, garlic, peanuts and salt. Drizzle with lime juice.

Heat the oil in a small pot on low heat. Add the Thai chilli and cook for 10 seconds. Add the dried chilli flakes and remove from the stove immediately. Drizzle the oil over the salad. Garish with cilantro and serve immediately.