Bring Home TeraZo's Superb Salad Mixed

Bali, as stunning as ever, keeps one of the BEST restaurants in it. TeraZo Restaurant and Bar is located on Jalan Suweta, Ubud, Bali serves the most exquisite cuisine you may not expect to get from such a village. But, tell me it's no dream, yeah, this is real!

I just do not forget the flavour in my mouth that day and when I come back to New Zealand, I only know one thing: I have to make that salad alright. And yeah, not being fussy, but that must be one way or another, to find out if you're good or not. Although this has nothing to do with skills in comparison or anything, I find out it is not tricky to get there. Perhaps, it's almost there, but I can find the taste and the mixture.



I have to substitute some tart mango with tart apples, red chili with red capsicum, and I don't use cashew nuts and carrots. Forgot about cashews and carrots, really. And I don't have the same fish they have used. I don't know if that makes any difference, but what I think is the dressing MUST be similar.

Alright.

Here I go. First, I made the dressing. This is Thai dressing and it must have a hint of chili, garlic, fish sauce or rather. I don't know what they have used, but I am just going to use my imagination and the taste that lingered in my mouth that day. Then, made the salad. Right, no tart mango. Of course, it's Winter here. Even if it is Summer, I don't think I can get any tart mango. So, okay. I use Granny Smiths, that'll do. They're both tart and are crunchy. Does not matter the rest of the other ingredients in the original salad, I think. I need to move on.

And here's what I did.



Crispy Fish and Granny Smiths Mixed Salad with Thai Dressing
by Arfi Binsted

Crispy Fish

For the flour, I adjust the amount while I am mixing it. If the fish is well covered, then it is fine. You may want to try to glue with egg white? Make your own experiment.

1 cup minced fish (I used Gurnard)
plain flour
rice flour
1 tsp ground coriander
1 garlic, minced
salt
pepper
a little oil for frying

Combine fish, flours, coriander, garlic, salt and pepper together. Mix well. Heat the frying pan and add in the oil. Fry the fish mixture. You may need to break any lumps with your spatula if they become too big. Cook until dry and golden brown. Spread on the paper towel to cool. Set aside and store in a well lidded jar. Makes 1 jar.

Thai Dressing

5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp hot chili sambal (you may want to grind fresh chili, be my guest)
1/2 cup hot water
rind and juice of 1 1/2 lime
palm sugar, shaved (brown sugar can be used here, use dark cane sugar for thicker flavour)
salt
rice vinegar, optional
a drop of fish sauce
1 Tbs rice bran oil (I only trust this oil, but you can use your favourite if you like)

Mix everything in a lidded jar. Shake well. Season and taste. The flavour should be tangy, sweet, and mildly hot at the same time.



The Salad

I use mixed salad with Mizuna leaves, lettuce and finely sliced capsicum. The Granny Smiths are thinly sliced and mixed through the leaves. Pile these in the bowl, scatter the crispy fish and drizzle the dressing. You should be in heaven :)