Salad Days: Pak choy, radish and apple salad

Salads are easy to make but it’s not as easy to invent something that’s arresting to the eye as well as the palate. Try this vaguely Asian salad based on looks as much as it is on flavour.

I started by selecting pak choy from my new greens retailer of choice, the Durbanville Market, of which I had never heard until a week ago. They specialise in fresh excellent quality vegetables and fruit (and other goods) at friendly prices. I noted that the produce moves fast, which can only add to the urgency to replenish the racks with new produce. What a treat.

I also chose some chirpy radishes (they had daikon too, by the way), fresh garlic, an apple (Granny Smith), and spring onions.

Back home I scoured what was on the shelves and made a quick dressing of honey mead vinegar, soy, a drop of Banhoek garlic chilli oil and an even smaller drop of sesame oil. Always use the last sparingly or it will overpower everything else.

I pickled the radish and apple as well as the garlic in a simple solution of honey mead vinegar and boiled water.

We enjoyed this with a sirloin steak grilled in butter with a drop of that Banhoek chilli oil, and plenty of garlic salt.

The honey mead vinegar was given to me for my birthday last year by a friend. It comes from Cape Town Meadery.

Tony’s salad of pak choy, radish and apple

(Serves 3 as a side salad or as a light meal with, say, fish)

Ingredients

For the pickle:

3 heads of pak choi, intact

4 radishes, sliced thinly

1 green apple, sliced thinly

1 large garlic clove, sliced very thinly

3 Tbsp honey mead vinegar (or 2 Tbsp of an interesting vinegar of your choice plus 1 Tbsp honey)

1 Tbsp raw honey

Plus:

2 spring onions, sliced thinly

1 tsp sesame seeds

For the dressing:

3 Tbsp Cape Town Meadery honey mead vinegar (or 2 Tbsp of an interesting vinegar of your choice plus 1 Tbsp honey)

1 tsp soy sauce

2 drops of Banhoek garlic chilli oil

1 drop of sesame oil

Method

Boil a kettle.

Put the three heads of pak choy in a bowl that fits them snugly. Pour boiling water over and let them stand for 2 minutes.

Drain and refresh in iced water for 1 minute. Drain and dry on a kitchen towel.

Pour the honey mead vinegar and honey into a small bowl.

Add the sliced apple, garlic and radishes.

Pour boiling water over to cover.

Let it stand for 15 minutes.

For the dressing, and combine the vinegar and soy in a small bow.

Dressing:

3 Tbsp honey mead vinegar (or 2 Tbsp of an interesting vinegar of your choice plus 1 Tbsp honey)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

To assemble the salad:

Drain the pickled radishes, apple and garlic.

Arrange the blanched pak choy on a platter, allowing space between them.

Arrange the radishes, apple, spring onions and garlic on and between the pak choy.

Drizzle the dressing over and scatter sesame seeds. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award.

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.