Ingredients
Produce
- 1 small pineapple (cleaned and thinly sliced, about 4 cups)
- 1 English cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 1-2 medium shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1 fresh red chili (seeded and minced)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint (chopped, optional)
Pantry
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 oz (50g) dried shrimp (finely chopped, about 1 1/2 tbsp, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumber: Thinly slice the cucumber and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss together. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse the cucumber slices thoroughly to remove excess salt, then gently squeeze out any extra moisture to keep the salad crisp but not watery.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the pineapple slices, prepared cucumber, thinly sliced shallots, finely chopped dried shrimp if using, seeded and minced red chili, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown or palm sugar. Toss the mixture well to evenly combine all the flavors.
- Add fresh herbs and serve: Fold in the chopped fresh cilantro and mint (if using). Serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste, or chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- The dried shrimp is optional but adds a traditional umami depth and texture to the salad.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of chili or omit the seeds.
- Adjust the sugar quantity to your taste depending on the sweetness of the pineapple.
- Chilling the salad enhances flavors but avoid leaving it longer than 1 hour to prevent the delicate herbs from wilting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
