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Vietnamese Tomato Crunch Salad

Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian, vietnamese
Keyword: celery, crispy shallots, cucumbers, fish sauce, gluten free, granulated sugar, lime juice, mixed fresh herbs, peanuts, red onion, shallots, tomatoes
Servings: 4 people
Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sugar granulated
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 celery stalks thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 Persian or kirby/pickling cucumber halved lengthwise, sliced into half-moons
  • 1 Hungarian wax Jimmy Nardello (it looks like a long hot pepper but it isn't spicy), or green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced
  • 1 small shallot or a few slices of red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 lb. mixed heirloom tomatoes (colorful) approximately 2 large tomatoes, either sliced or into wedges or a mixture of both
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped mixed tender herbs such as dill, cilantro, and/or Thai basil
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper for seasoning the salad
  • 1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts crushed or can be rough or finely chopped (I bought at Trader Joes but can be purchased at any market).
  • 1/3 cup crispy shallots either store bought if they’re gluten free or make your own as I did (See NOTES section below for how to make crispy shallots)

Instructions

  • Place sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon water in a jar. Cover and shake dressing vigorously until combined and sugar is dissolved. Alternatively, place ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
  • Combine celery, cucumber, sweet pepper, raw shallot or onion in a large bowl. Next add herbs. Drizzle ½ cup dressing over and toss salad to combine. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
  • To assemble salad, place tomatoes on a platter and then place cucumber and celery salad on top. Season with kosher salt. Lastly, sprinkle the crispy shallots and peanuts on top. I garnished with a few sliced yellow cherry tomatoes for a bit of color.
  • Transfer salad to a platter and top with peanuts and fried shallots.

Notes

Making crispy shallots takes less than 1/2 hour. And the bonus of making them yourself is that you will have the leftover shallot oil to use for dressings! It brings amazing flavor to your vinaigrette.
To make crispy shallots place 1/2 cup olive oil into a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1 cup thinly sliced shallots (approx 4 medium shallots) to the oil (oil doesn't need to be warmed first). After oil starts to bubble (around 5 minutes or so), reduce heat to medium-low or low and continue cooking shallots for 18 minutes, occasionally stirring. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THE SHALLOTS TO BROWN SLOWLY. The final browning and crisping happen fast so keep a close eye on the shallots while they cook for the last 2-3 minutes. The shallots are done once they are golden brown and crispy. Carefully remove shallots from the pan with a fork or wire mesh strainer and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste while the shallots are warm. Click here for online instructions.