Thinly slice 2 large tomatoes – I use beefsteak – and put them in a mixing bowl. Scrub, peel and very thinly slice a couple of small beetroot (a golden or candy-stripe variety is a colourful addition, but any sweet beet will do). Add to the bowl with the tomato.
Peel 1 medium-sized, ripe mango. Cut thin slices of flesh from each side of the stone and add them to the mixing bowl. Squeeze the fruit in your fist into the bowl to extract as much juice as possible, then discard the stone.
Make a dressing: place a shallow pan over a medium heat and pour in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Scatter in 100g of shelled raw cashews. Let them cook, tossing the pan occasionally, until golden, then season with salt. Seed, finely chop and add 2 bird’s eye chillies, continue cooking briefly, then sprinkle in 1 tbsp of caster sugar. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime, then let it bubble until the sugar has dissolved. Pour in 1 tbsp of fish sauce and 2 tsp of dark soy sauce.
While the dressing is still hot, pour over the fruits and vegetables in the mixing bowl. Transfer to a serving dish. Serves 4 as a side dish
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I like to eat this as soon as it is dressed, to get the mixture of hot, cold, sweet and sour.
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In hot weather, I have been known to swap the beetroot for cucumber, peeled and thickly sliced and, on occasions, have tossed in a few cooked prawns and a big handful of coriander.
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