{"id":1704,"date":"2012-09-24T18:50:26","date_gmt":"2012-09-24T22:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com\/?p=1704"},"modified":"2012-09-24T18:50:26","modified_gmt":"2012-09-24T22:50:26","slug":"burmese-tomato-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apa.si.edu\/picklesandtea\/burmese-tomato-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Chance Tomatoes in a Burmese-Style Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Supposedly, summer bade us farewell several days ago.<\/p>\n

The signs are all there: the sun dips lower in the sky, shadows lengthen,\u00a0and the occasional nip in the air gently reminds me that summer is winding down and autumn is nudging its way in.<\/p>\n

However, all around me, nature is playing tricks on me. Blackberries still peek out from their brambly bushes. The Seattle sky remains clear and blue, with daytime temps lingering in the 70\u2019s. And the tomatoes in my dad\u2019s garden continue to grow plump and heavy on the vine, their green hue merging into red.<\/p>\n

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Three gorgeous heirloom tomatoes sitting in a row<\/p><\/div>\n

Don’t get me wrong, I\u2019m not complaining. I\u2019m relishing each day I can still bare my legs and zip out the door without a coat on. And with every satay stick I grill on the barbecue, I’m hoping it won\u2019t be my last just yet.<\/p>\n

This past Saturday, we took a ferry across the Puget Sound<\/a> and spent a sunny day in Poulsbo<\/a>\u00a0where we ate fish and chips al fresco and my son chased seagulls around the marina. The next day, I turned my dad\u2019s ripe tomatoes into a refreshing Burmese-style salad \u00e0\u00a0la Alvina (remember Alvina?<\/a>). It was a lovely way to commit the last flavors of summer to my taste memory.<\/p>\n

Truth be told, I\u2019m not ready to say goodbye.<\/p>\n

And you, how are you stocking up on summery memories?<\/p>\n

~~~<\/p>\n

Burmese-Style Tomato Salad<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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This tomato salad is loosely based on a\u00a0Burmese salad Alvina once made for me. Her salad comprised\u00a0shredded cabbage, chopped tomatoes, lime juice, dried shrimp powder, fried garlic, and the fragrant oil leftover from frying the garlic. I took a few liberties, borrowing some ideas from\u00a0this recipe on Pranee’s blog<\/a>. Because I already had store-bought fried garlic bits in my pantry (and yes, because I’m lazy) that’s what I used. But I can vouch for the deliciousness of frying your own. The how-to is available on page 126 of my cookbook (and elsewhere online).<\/p>\n

Time: 10 minutes
\nMakes: 4 to 6 servings<\/p>\n

2 tablespoons lemongrass vinegar<\/a>
\n1 teaspoon canola oil
\n1 teaspoon fish sauce
\n3 medium tomatoes, cut into crescents
\n1\/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
\n1\/4 small sweet onion, cut into thin crescents, soaked in water for 30 minutes to tame its bite
\n1 tablespoon fried garlic, plus more for garnish
\n1 tablespoon fried onions<\/a>, plus more for garnish
\n1 tablespoon roasted pistachios (preferably unsalted), crushed, plus more for garnish
\nChopped cilantro for garnish<\/p>\n

In a large salad bowl, whisk the lemongrass vinegar, canola oil, and fish sauce together vigorously. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Sprinkle with fried garlic, fried onions, pistachios, and cilantro, with or without abandon.<\/p>\n

~~~<\/p>\n

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