Burmese Tomato Salad with Shallots and Peanuts
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
4 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds, divided
¼ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
1½ pounds firm, ripe tomatoes, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch wedges
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 serrano chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rounds
2 teaspoons toasted chickpea flour (optional, see Notes)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Fill a small bowl with ice water and stir in half the sliced shallots; set aside until ready to use. In a small saucepan over medium-high, combine the oil and remaining shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as the shallots begin to color, until light golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small heatproof bowl. Transfer the fried shallots to a paper towel-lined plate; they will crisp as they cool. Discard the oil or reserve for another use.
2. In a serving bowl, combine both types of tomatoes, the peanuts, chilies, chickpea flour (if using) and pepper flakes (if using). Thoroughly drain the soaked shallots and add to the bowl, along with the cilantro, fish sauce, lime zest and juice and ¼ teaspoon salt. Gently toss. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with the fried shallots.
Notes: Don’t forget to seed the large tomatoes. Doing so will prevent the seeds and the jellied juices around them from diluting the flavors of the salad. Also, for best flavor and texture, be sure your tomatoes are room temperature, not chilled.
Burmese tomato salad is a bold, bright toss of complementary colors and shapes with lively, vibrant flavors to match its appearance. Its tastes are sweet, salty, tangy, nutty, herbal and spicy—and the dish is a fantastic way to use garden-ripe tomatoes. Our version of the salad is an adaptation of a recipe from “The Rangoon Sisters” by London-based supper-club hosts and authors Amy Chung and Emily Chung. In numerous Burmese dishes, toasted chickpea flour brings its unique earthy, nutty flavor and adds some starchiness; it’s optional in our salad, but it lends a little richness while also helping to tie the elements together. If you wish to include it, toast the flour in a small, dry skillet over medium, stirring, until browned and fragrant, about two minutes, then transfer to a small bowl and cool. We use a mix of round tomatoes and cherry (or grape) tomatoes for varied shapes and textures.
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Recipes provided by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television; used with permission.
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