John says: “This salad makes use of fruits in their unripe stage of growth, much like the beloved green papaya salad (som tam) that is widely eaten throughout Thailand. This particular salad commonly uses green mango, but I’ve opted to use green apple, as I find varieties like Granny Smith offer the same crisp texture and sweet-tart flavour as a green mango.”

Serves 2

Ingredients

120ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 tbsp dried anchovies or dried shrimp
2 tbsp raw peanuts, preferably skin-on
8 makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen), 6 left whole and 2 finely shredded
Juice of ½ lime
2 green apples, such as Granny Smith
½ small red onion, thinly sliced with the grain of the onion
2 lemongrass stalks, root and outer husks removed, thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
3 tbsp coriander leaves
2 tbsp mint leaves

For the salad dressing (nahm yum):

1 long red chilli, seeded and chopped
2 red bird’s eye chillies, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander root or coriander stem
1 tbsp chopped garlic
½ tsp salt
1 tsp palm or brown sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce

Method

To make the salad dressing, pound the chillies, coriander root, garlic and salt together in a stone pestle and mortar to a smooth paste. Add the sugar and mix until well combined. Finish by stirring in the lime juice and fish sauce. It will taste spicy, salty and sour. Set aside.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large, deep saucepan until the oil reaches 180°C on a cooking thermometer.

Alternatively, drop a small cube of bread into the hot oil; if it turns golden brown in about 15 seconds, the oil is ready. Carefully drop the dried anchovies or shrimp into the oil and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, move around in the pan for 15 seconds, or until golden and crispy. Remove and leave to drain on a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.

Reheat the oil to 180°C and repeat the process with the peanuts, then the six whole makrut lime leaves, being careful with the lime leaves as they will spit and sputter as they hit the hot oil. Again, drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Fill a medium bowl with cold water and add the lime juice. Cut the apple into long strands using a Japanese mandolin set with 3mm teeth (alternatively, you can do this by hand). The strands should be about 6cm long and 3mm wide. Add the apple strands to the acidulated water as you go to prevent them oxidising and turning an unattractive brown colour while you cut the remaining apple.

Drain the apple strands well, then add to a large bowl, along with all the other ingredients except the crispy fried makrut lime leaves. Add the red chilli dressing and toss together to ensure the salad is nicely coated. Spoon on to a serving plate and garnish with the crispy makrut lime leaves to serve.

Kin Thai: 3 Thai-style salads to upgrade your al fresco spread