Burmese beauty
TOMATO AND CRUNCHY PEANUT SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 4 as a side)
50g unsalted roasted peanuts; 300g tomatoes, at room temperature, quartered; ½ green finger chilli, deseeded (optional) and finely sliced; 1tbsp dried shrimps (optional); 1-2 raw shallots, peeled and thinly sliced; 3-5tbsp garlic oil (see instructions below); Juice of 1/2 lime; 2tsp fish sauce (omit to make vegetarian, then season with salt); Small handful of coriander leaves; 1tsp gram flour, sifted and evenly toasted in a dry frying pan; Crispy fried shallots, to garnish; For the garlic oil:
3 bulbs of garlic, peeled; 400ml oil (vegetable, sunflower or peanut); 1tsp turmeric powder
METHOD:
1. For the garlic oil, separate the garlic cloves and slice them as thinly as you can. It can make your fingers feel a bit burny, so you might want to put on disposable gloves for this. Line a plate with a few sheets of kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a deep, medium saucepan or wok set over a medium-high heat. Do not leave the pan unattended. Have a heatproof strainer or sieve ready for fishing out the garlic pieces. Test the readiness of the oil by placing a piece of garlic in it; if it sizzles and comes to the surface within a few seconds, the oil is ready and you can add all the garlic at once, turn heat down low.
2. Keep a close eye on the garlic, turning the pieces regularly. Turn the heat down if garlic is colouring quickly. Once golden brown and crisp, take the pan off the heat. Scoop them out and transfer them to the plate with the kitchen paper. It doesn’t matter if a few pieces remain in the oil. Stir the turmeric into the oil and leave to cool. Once cool, pour the garlic oil into a clean, sealable bottle.
3. Crush the peanuts using a pestle and mortar or pulse a few times in a food processor.
4. Place the tomatoes, chilli, crushed peanuts and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Ideally, do this with clean hands to fully combine all the ingredients.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more fish sauce or chilli if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the crispy shallots.