Pineapple and Cucumber Salad
Pineapple and Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 2 garlic, cloves
- 2 green Thai bird chilies, chopped (adjust to desired heat level)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- some fish sauce, to taste
- 2 limes, juiced
For the Salad
- as needed pineapple, chopped into chunks
- 3 cucumbers, split lengthwise, cut into chunky disks
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch basil leaves, roughly chopped
- a few dried shrimp, roughly chopped
For Garnish
- as needed fried shallots
- as needed toasted coconut
Instructions
- 1
Add the garlic cloves to a mortar.
⏱️ 1 min
- 2
Chop the green Thai bird chilies and add them to the mortar. Adjust the number of chilies based on your desired heat level.
⏱️ 1 min
- 3
Add the 1/4 cup of sugar to the mortar.
- 4
Using a pestle, pound the ingredients in the mortar into a paste.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Splash in some fish sauce to taste.
- 6
Grind the mixture in the mortar using a circular motion to help the sugar dissolve.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Squeeze the juice from the two limes into the mortar, preferably using a citrus press. The goal is to balance the acidity from the lime, the umami from the fish sauce, the heat from the chilies, and the sweetness of the sugar.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Prepare the cucumbers by splitting them in half lengthwise, then cutting them into chunky little disks. Add these to a large mixing bowl that already contains the chopped pineapple chunks.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Thinly slice half a red onion. Add the sliced red onion to the bowl with the pineapple and cucumbers.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Roughly chop the cilantro. Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Roughly chop the basil leaves. Add the chopped basil leaves to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Roughly chop a few dried shrimp. Add the chopped dried shrimp to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Sprinkle fried shallots over the salad for garnish.
- 14
Sprinkle toasted coconut over the salad as an additional garnish.
- 15
Pour the prepared dressing from the mortar over the salad ingredients in the bowl.
- 16
Give the salad a good toss with two spoons to combine all ingredients and ensure the dressing is evenly distributed.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Pineapple and Cucumber Salad
For the Dressing
- 2 garlic, cloves
- 2 green Thai bird chilies, chopped (adjust to desired heat level)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- some fish sauce, to taste
- 2 limes, juiced
For the Salad
- as needed pineapple, chopped into chunks
- 3 cucumbers, split lengthwise, cut into chunky disks
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch basil leaves, roughly chopped
- a few dried shrimp, roughly chopped
For Garnish
- as needed fried shallots
- as needed toasted coconut
Instructions
- 1
Add the garlic cloves to a mortar.
⏱️ 1 min - 2
Chop the green Thai bird chilies and add them to the mortar. Adjust the number of chilies based on your desired heat level.
⏱️ 1 min - 3
Add the 1/4 cup of sugar to the mortar.
- 4
Using a pestle, pound the ingredients in the mortar into a paste.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Splash in some fish sauce to taste.
- 6
Grind the mixture in the mortar using a circular motion to help the sugar dissolve.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Squeeze the juice from the two limes into the mortar, preferably using a citrus press. The goal is to balance the acidity from the lime, the umami from the fish sauce, the heat from the chilies, and the sweetness of the sugar.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Prepare the cucumbers by splitting them in half lengthwise, then cutting them into chunky little disks. Add these to a large mixing bowl that already contains the chopped pineapple chunks.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Thinly slice half a red onion. Add the sliced red onion to the bowl with the pineapple and cucumbers.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Roughly chop the cilantro. Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Roughly chop the basil leaves. Add the chopped basil leaves to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Roughly chop a few dried shrimp. Add the chopped dried shrimp to the bowl.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Sprinkle fried shallots over the salad for garnish.
- 14
Sprinkle toasted coconut over the salad as an additional garnish.
- 15
Pour the prepared dressing from the mortar over the salad ingredients in the bowl.
- 16
Give the salad a good toss with two spoons to combine all ingredients and ensure the dressing is evenly distributed.
⏱️ 1 min