Salad with a tamarind dressing

You could make this with something as simple as a plateful of ripe tomatoes, but for the post-match supper at the tennis club, I’ve used the dressing with roasted vegetables, bulked out with some cooked lentils.

summer tomato salad with sweet tamarind dressing | A Brown Table

All salads should be easy to make and shouldn’t require a huge amount of work. This recipe adds fresh brightly colored chilies for heat and color along with fresh cilantro leaves.

summer tomato salad with sweet tamarind dressing | A Brown Table

Ingredients

  • 2 large heirloom tomatoes (see notes above) & 2 cups cherry tomatoes, OR:
  • Around 1kg roasted vegetables e.g. half butternut squash, baby onions, sweet potatoes
  • Cooked puy lentils
  • 4 thai chili peppers, red and yellow color
  • 2 tablespoons whole cilantro leaves, fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder, freshly ground + extra if needed
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate 
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 3 teaspoons dark brown sugar or jaggery crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon toasted coriander powder, freshly ground (see notes above)
  • 100mL cup water
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes
  1. Thinly slice the heirloom tomatoes and arrange them on a serving platter. Add the cherry tomatoes over them. OR assemble roast vegetables .
  2. Slice the chili peppers lengthwise in half and arrange them over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the tomatoes. 
  3. Take a 500mL mason jar or glass jar with a lid. Add all the ingredients from the tamarind to the olive oil. Close the jar tight with its lid and then shake vigorously until it forms an emulsion. Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and pepper.
  4. Drizzle enough dressing over the salad and sprinkle with the Maldon sea salt flakes and/or pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
summer tomato salad with sweet tamarind dressing | A Brown Table