Nothing beckons like the combination on fresh pineapple and cucumber with roasted peanuts and fresh herbs. Perfect for any weather but just as spring has made an appearance and just the throught of sweltering 100 deg temperatures, round the corner are enough to get me sweating, now.
But for the moment, I'm determined to enjoy this wonderful if not erratic spring weather and settle in the inviting comfort of this delicious, refreshing flavor explosive salad.
Imagine this as a side to freshly grilled fish like the Asian style salmon or even chicken...sigh....
To get started you will need large English cucumber, fresh pineapple, unsalted roasted peanuts, green onions, red bell pepper, Thai red chilly, fresh basil leaves, fresh mint leaves, fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese), soy sauce, lemon, garlic cloves & light brown sugar.
Prepare the ingredients -
Pineapple -
Cut both ends off the pineapple. Stand it up and using a very sharp paring knife, run the knife from top to bottom following the shape of the pineapple so you strip away the tough rind.
Halve the pineapple. Cut into slices and cut away the core.
Slice into 1/4" thick slices.
Cucumber - Peel he skin and discard. Halve, quarter and cut into 1/4" thick dices.
Place the cut pineapple and cucumber in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Peanuts - Place in a mini chopper. Chop to roughly broken bits but not fine. Empty the peanuts over the cucumber and pineapple.
Green Onions - Thinly slice the green onions on a diagonal.
Red Bell Pepper - Halve, discard seeds and membranes. Thinly slice into lengths.
Place the onions and the red pepper in the bowl with the fruit.
Fresh Basil & Mint - Separate the leaves from the stalks. Roll the leaves together so they are in a bunch (separate bunch of basil leaves & separate one for mint leaves)
Finely slice each bunch so you are left with very fine strips (chiffonade) of herbs. Place in the bowl with the fruit.
Red Thai chilly - Slice down the middle but leave whole so it can be easily discarded. If you want to salad spicy, de seed and thinly chop.
In a mini-chopper/blender placed peeled garlic cloves, fish sauce, soy sauce and light brown sugar.
Blend till the garlic is chopped up and the sauces & sugar are combined.
Cook's Note - Traditionally larger quantities of soy sauce & fish sauce (about 1 tbs each) are added but because we do not care for the fishy smell in the salad nor do I like the brown stain that permeates the salad, I have kept these to the barest minimum.
I like that they still impart their characteristic flavors without overpowering the salad.
Refrigerate both the salad and the dressing separately till ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the dressing and toss the salad.
Remove to a serving platter & serve chilled.
This is sure to be a big hit with your family as well. Super refreshing, light and delicious!
The mint and basil do so much for the flavors with the refreshing light cucumber and the sweet juicy pineapple. The green onions and red pepper add a crunch and stunning visual color to the salad. The dressing is subtle but does a wonderful job of pulling together all the elements with slightly sweet and salty flavors.
I served this with a side of grilled salmon and it was the perfect accompaniment.
Recipe for
Thai Style Pineapple & Cucumber Salad
Preparation time - 45 minutes
Serves 4
Shopping list
1 large English cucumber
1/2 fresh pineapple ( 2-1/2 cups sliced)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, unsalted
3 green onions
1/2 red bell pepper
1 Thai red chilly
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese) - add more if you wish, see notes
1/2 tsp soy sauce - add more if you wish, see notes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp light brown sugar
Preparation -
Prepare the ingredients -
Pineapple -
Cut both ends off the pineapple. Stand it up and using a very sharp paring knife, run the knife from top to bottom following the shape of the pineapple so you strip away the tough rind.
Halve the pineapple. Cut into slices and cut away the core.
Slice into 1/4" thick slices.
Cucumber - Peel he skin and discard. Halve, quarter and cut into 1/4" thick dices.
Place the cut pineapple and cucumber in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Peanuts - Place in a mini chopper. Chop to roughly broken bits but not fine. Empty the peanuts over the cucumber and pineapple.
Green Onions - Thinly slice the green onions on a diagonal.
Red Bell Pepper - Halve, discard seeds and membranes. Thinly slice into lengths.
Place the onions and the red pepper in the bowl with the fruit.
Fresh Basil & Mint - Separate the leaves from the stalks. Roll the leaves together so they are in a bunch (separate bunch of basil leaves & separate one for mint leaves)
Finely slice each bunch so you are left with very fine strips (chiffonade) of herbs. Place in the bowl with the fruit.
Red Thai chilly - Slice down the middle but leave whole so it can be easily discarded. If you want to salad spicy, de seed and thinly chop.
In a mini-chopper/blender placed peeled garlic cloves, fish sauce, soy sauce and light brown sugar.
Blend till the garlic is chopped up and the sauces & sugar are combined.
Cook's Note - Traditionally larger quantities of soy sauce & fish sauce (about 1 tbs each) are added but because we do not care for the fishy smell in the salad nor do I like the brown stain that permeates the salad, I have kept these to the barest minimum.
I like that they still impart their characteristic flavors without overpowering the salad.
Refrigerate both the salad and the dressing separately till ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the dressing and toss the salad.
Remove to a serving platter & serve chilled.
Enjoy!
