SPICY CORN SALAD

Serves: 3 to 4

4 ears corn, husks and silk removed

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

4 cups (1 L) ice cubes

2 large cloves garlic

2 or 3 fresh bird eye’s chilies 1½ tbsp (22 mL) dried shrimp ¼ cup (50 mL) unsalted roasted peanuts

16 green beans or 3 oz (85 g) long beans, trimmed and cut crosswise into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces 10 cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise ½ cup (125 mL) peeled and grated carrot (optional)

1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce, or as needed

1½ tbsp (22 mL) fresh lime juice, or as needed

Grated palm sugar, for seasoning

1. Place the corn in a 4-litre saucepan, add water to cover barely, and stir in the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. While the water is heating, put the ice cubes in a large bowl and add water to cover. The moment the water boils, cook the corn for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer it to the ice bath and let cool to room temperature. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

2. Stand an ear of corn on its stem end on a work surface and, using a sharp knife, cut from the top downward in a sawing motion, cutting as deeply into the kernels as possible, and rotating the ear a quarter turn after each cut. Transfer the kernels to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining ears.

3. In a mortar, grind the garlic to a paste. Add the chilies and smash them into small pieces. Add the dried shrimp and pound until they break up. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanuts and pound them into small pieces about the size of a match head. Add the beans and smash them until they split open, then do the same with the tomato halves. Transfer the contents of the mortar to the corn bowl and add the carrot.

4. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and a pinch of sugar to the corn mixture and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar if needed. If your tomatoes and corn aren’t very sweet, more sugar will be in order. I like my corn salad equally salty, sweet, and sour, but you do what you like.

5. Plate the salad, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons peanuts over the top, and then serve right away with rice or alone as a midmeal snack.