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Tomato salad (Salat tomat)

Tomato salad (Salat tomat)

This is a new dish I ate recently at Amandari Malay Restaurant in Penang. Traditionally, tomatoes as a salad are served unadorned. At most, a dip combining roasted shrimp paste, pounded chilli and sometimes a dash of sugar may be served, but here I was surprised to be offered a dip of dark soy, mixed with roasted coconut, palm sugar and chilli. It reminded me of a Thai dip as it was sweet, hot and coconutty.

Tomato salad (Salat tomat)

Serves 6
2 tbsp   desiccated coconut
60 ml (¼ cup)   kecap manis
1 tsp   finely grated dark palm sugar (gula melaka)
3   small red chillies, finely chopped
6   vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced


1 In a small pan, dry-roast desiccated coconut over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. In a small bowl, combine kecap manis, dark palm sugar and chilli and season to taste with sea salt.
2 Add all but 1 tsp of coconut to kecap manis mixture and stir to combine. To serve arrange tomatoes in a bowl, drizzle with dressing and scatter with remaining coconut.


RECIPE Tony Tan PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Michele Finato


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