Asian Salad Recipes - Indonesian Javanese Salad (Karedok) Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

• 85g (3oz) beansprouts

• 4 small red shallots, thinly sliced

• 4 small round aubergines, thinly sliced

• 100g (4oz) long beans, cut into 5cm (2in) lengths

• 100g (4oz) cauliflower, broken into small florets

For the dressing:

• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste

• 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 4 small red chilies

• 1 tablespoon tamarind water

• 1 level tablespoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon water

Serves 4

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Method

1. First prepare the dressing: preheat a hot grill, wrap the shrimp paste in foil and grill the parcel for 1 minute on each side.

2. In a mortar, pound the garlic and chili, then add the grilled shrimp paste, stir well and add all the other dressing ingredients, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Arrange the cucumber, beansprouts and shallots on a serving platter.

4. Bring a pan of water to the boil and one by one briefly blanch the aubergines, long beans and cauliflower florets in turn, long enough to be just tender but keeping them firm.

5. Drain well and place on the salad. Cover the salad with the dressing and serve.

Note: This salad can be served with prawn crackers, which can be bought dried with simple instructions for deep-frying. Nowadays some of the ready-made versions available in packets among the potato crisps are also very good.