½ cup dried coconut flakes
4 skinless salmon fillets
sea salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, cut into matchsticks
1 cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup roughly chopped coriander (cilantro)
1 eschalot, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
Chilli caramel:
100g (3.5 oz) shaved palm sugar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp kecap manis*
1 long red chilli, sliced
½ cup Marion’s Kitchen Vietnamese-style Tangy Dressing
1 tbsp lime juice
- For the chilli caramel, place all the ingredients except the lime juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and then cook for 10-12 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir through the lime juice.
- Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over high heat until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Set aside until later.
- Season each piece of salmon generously with salt. Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish and cook 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown and the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- When the salmon is cool enough to handle but still warm, break into large chunks and place in a large bowl with the toasted coconut, apple, mint leaves, coriander, eschalot, chilli and ¼ cup of the chilli caramel. Gently toss until just combined. Divide the salad among serving plates and drizzle with a little extra chilli caramel.
- Notes: – Kecap manis is an Indonesian dark sweet soy sauce. It’s available from the Asian aisle of most supermarkets or from an Asian grocer. – To serve this as a main course, keep the salmon fillets whole and serve them with the salad on the side. – This recipe makes more chilli caramel than you need. The excess will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use it as a dressing or dipping sauce.
