Salad of Scallops, Lime, Soy and Chilli Dressing - Chef Recipe by Dan Jarrett

Ingredients

Salad:

2 Roma tomatoes
2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
20mL thin soy sauce
10mL lime juice
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 Tbs vegetable oil
4 Hervey Bay scallops
1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
1/2 cup coriander leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup green shallots, finely sliced on a long angle
1 Tbs peanuts, roasted and crushed

Nam Phrik Pla Thai dipping sauce:

100mL fish sauce
1 red birds eye chilli, finely sliced into ringlets

Garnish:

1 tsp roasted ground sticky rice

Method

Dressing:

Cut the Roma tomatoes in quarters lengthways. Cover the cut sides with sea salt. Place on a rack and leave overnight.

The following day, place tomatoes in a wok over a low heat, cut side down with the garlic cloves. Allow to dry char, but not burn. When cooked, the garlic will be tender.

Remove and peel the garlic. Place in a mortar and pestle with the tomatoes. Gently pound the garlic and bruise the tomatoes, add the thin soy sauce, lime juice and chilli flakes. Gently combine.

Scallops:

In a pan, add vegetable oil and allow pan to become hot. Season one side of the scallops with a little salt and place in the pan. Cook on one side for about 1-2 minutes, turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds.

Salad:

In a bowl, combine the mint, coriander, shallots and peanuts. Gently fold through the dressing.

Nam Phrik Pla dipping sauce:

Mix the fish sauce and chilli together. Place in a bowl to the side of the dish for seasoning.

Plating:

Thinly slice the scallops into 3 or 4 slices and mix through the salad.

Garnish with roasted ground sticky rice.

Optional: spoon 1 tablespoon of Nam Phrik Pla over the salad.

Recipe provided by The Tamarind Restaurant