Cucumber-Pineapple Salad with Red Pepper and Peanuts

This easy salad recipe is very gourmet tasting. In fact, it's so scrumptious that your guests will think you labored over it (though it takes only minutes to make!). Simply toss some pineapple chunks (fresh or canned) with cucumber, green onion, slices of red pepper, and peanuts together in an easy homemade Thai salad dressing, and voila - a perfect salad that looks and tastes like summer itself. Makes a nice salad to accompany other Thai food dishes, or take it to a barbecue party or potluck where it's sure to be the talk of the party!

• SERVES 4 as a Salad or 2 as a Main Entree
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks (if using fresh pineapple, see cutting instructions below)
• 1 English cucumber, or 1 medium field cucumber
• 3 spring onions (green onions), sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly, or diced
• 1/2 cup dry whole roasted unsalted peanuts
• handful of ground peanuts (or roughly chopped), OR subsitute another nut, such as cashews
• 1 cup fresh coriander + handful of fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped if leaves are large)
• SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red chilli, de-seeded and minced, OR 1 tsp. chili sauce (or more if you want it extra spicy)
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, OR vegetarian fish sauce (look for vegetarian fish sauce at Vietnamese stores)
• juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste, OR 1/2 Tbsp. more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce)
• optional: 1 Tbsp. pineapple juice (use the juice from the can, OR squeeze a little from a fresh slice of pineapple)
• OTHER (optional): To make this salad a complete meal, add 1 cup cooked shrimp, or 1 package deep-fried tofu

For instructions on how to buy and prepare fresh pineapple, see my: How to Cut a Pineapple.

1. Place all salad dressing ingredients in a cup. Stir well. Set aside.
2. Place pineapple chunks in a mixing bowl.
3. To prepare the cucumber: Remove skin with a vegetable peeler, or cut off with a knife (if the cucumber is organic, leave the skin on for extra nutrients and fiber). Next, cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut these sections again lengthwise (several times if the cucumber is thick), then slice the other way to create cubes or chunks. Add these to the mixing bowl.
4. Clean out the seeds of the red bell pepper, then slice it thinly into strips. Slice these in half to create matchstick-like pieces. Add these to the mixing bowl.
5. Add the sliced spring/green onion, plus the whole roasted peanuts. Add most of the basil and coriander, putting aside a little of each for the garnish.
6. Now pour the salad dressing over. Toss well.
7. Pour or scoop the salad onto a serving plate. Top with the extra basil and coriander you kept back, plus a sprinkling of ground or chopped peanuts. If desired, serve with lime wedges on the side. ENJOY!

Salad Tips:

• This salad is at its best when first tossed. Try to eat up leftovers as soon as possible.
• For added protein (if serving as a main course), toss in 1 cup cooked shrimp, or 1 package deep-fried tofu cut into cubes.
• If you're planning to serve it at a party or take it to a potluck: Prepare all the ingredients and place them in separate containers in the refrigerator. Also prepare the dressing and keep in a jar or covered container in the refrigerator. Then simply toss all together right before serving.

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