LYCHEES

SALMON, LYCHEE AND SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD

What is there not to like about the juicy, translucent flesh of lychees and their distinctive floral fragrance? Don’t confine them to end-of-meal sweet treats: an after-thought they are not. As well as their good looks, they are perfect for rounding out a meal with many competing ingredients.

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes | COOKING TIME: 5 minutes | SERVES: 6

¹ /₃ cup (80 ml/2½ fl oz) soy sauce

2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar

6 × 175 g (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets, cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

375 g (13 oz) sugar snap peas

1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, thinly sliced

24 lychees, peeled, seeded and halved

1 handful coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 handful mint leaves

1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

½ cup (45 g/1½ oz) thinly sliced red onion

2 handfuls bean sprouts, trimmed

¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) lime juice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

Whisk the soy sauce and sugar together in a bowl. Add the salmon and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large sturdy pan over medium–high heat. Add the salmon in batches and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Set aside.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the sugar snap peas, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 seconds. Drain, refresh in iced water and drain well. Put the peas in a bowl with the cucumber, lychees, coriander, mint, chilli, onions, bean sprouts and salmon broken into chunks. Whisk together the lime juice and fish sauce, pour over the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately.

TIP Snow peas (mangetout), cut into thin strips, can replace sugar snap peas, and will need only 10 seconds in boiling water.