Spicy herb salad with pineapple

Kerabu is a style of Malay salad that is made with fresh vegetables and/or fruits. They are usually seasonal and are essential on any table. They are dressed in a vibrant and, usually spicy, sambol-style dressing, making the dish pop. These are served with the famed laksa, usually, as a foil for the rich coconut-y creaminess of the soup.

This is a bold salad, and the dressing makes it come alive; therefore, don't hesitate to make the dressing flavours strong. The combination of sweet (Pineapple and brown sugar), spice (Thai chillies), herb (kaffir lime leaf, mint and cilantro) and umami (fish sauce) comes together beautifully. I dressed the salad up a bit by adding lettuce leaves; feel free to leave them out if you desire. This salad is a real standout and one that we enjoyed thoroughly.

Mandy Yin is a London-based lawyer who started her foray into the world of food with the Sambal Shiok restaurant. Sambal Shiok translates to "shockingly good sambal", and this book follows these steps with excellent recipes. The recipes swing from traditional to contemporary while maintaining wonderful flavours. This is a lovely cookbook for those who want to venture into the complex world of Malay cooking.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1-2 Thai red chillies

1/2 kaffir lime leaf

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce or 1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (omit for vegetarian version)

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2-3 tablespoons water

For the salad:

1 small onion, finely sliced

3 cucumbers, peeled and cubed to 1/2-inch peices

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed to 1/2-inch peices

3 tablespoons mint, roughly torn

3 tablespoons cilantro, roughly torn

Salt, to taste

Lettuce leaves of your choice

Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a blender and puree to a smooth sauce. Taste for sweetness, salt and tartness. It should be a bold dressing with strong, yet balanced, flavours. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Toss the onions, cucumbers and pineapple together. Set aside in the fridge.

When you are ready to serve the dish, layer the lettuce on the bottom of a shallow, wide bowl. Toss the pineapple mix with half the dressing; keep the rest aside. Add the mint and cilantro and toss well. Allow the salad to sit for 5 minutes. Serve with extra dressing on the side.