Sides and Salads Recipes - Fruit and Vegetable Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 small Pineapple

• 1 small mango, peeled and sliced

• 1 green apple, cored and sliced

• 6 rambutans or lychees, peeled and stoned (pitted)

• 115g/4oz/1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved

• 1 red onion, sliced

• 1 small cucumber, cut into short sticks

• 115g/4oz/1/2 cup beansprouts

• 2 spring onions (scallions), sliced

• 1 ripe tomato, quartered

• 225g/8oz cos, romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves

For the coconut dipping sauce:

• 30ml/2 tbsp coconut cream

• 30ml/2 tbsp sugar

• 75ml/5 tbsp boiling water

• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp chili sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp fish sauce

• juice of 1 lime

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Make the coconut dipping sauce. Spoon the coconut cream, sugar and boiling water into a screw-top jar. Add the chili and fish sauces and lime juice, close tightly and shake to mix.

2. Trim both ends of the pineapple with a serrated knife. then cut away the outer skin. Remove the central core with an apple corer.

3. Alternatively, quarter the pineapple lengthways and remove the portion of core from each wedge with a knife. Chop the pineapple and set aside with the other fruits.

4. Bring a small pan of lightly salted water to the boil over a medium heat. Add the green beans to the pan and cook for 3--4 minutes, until just tender but still retaining some "bite".

5. Tip into a colander. Drain. refresh under cold running water, drain well again and set aside.

6. To serve, arrange all the fruits and vegetables in small heaps on a platter or in a shallow bowl. Pour the coconut sauce into a small serving bowl and serve separately as a dip.

Note: This colorful fruit salad is traditionally presented with the main course and serves as a cooler to counteract hot, spicy dishes. Try to get rambutan in can, if you unable to get the fresh one.