Vitamin-packed salad makes for easy pickings
If you are looking to keep a meal light, and even if you regularly enjoy munching a salad, the idea of a meal consisting mostly of tomatoes might raise a sceptical eyebrow.
This one genuinely has a wow factor, though. It's all about the quality of the ingredients used - selecting the best tomatoes is key, as they are the star of this dish. Tomatoes are a nutritious package: they are a good source of vitamin A and C, and they also have decent fibre. They also contain lycopene, which supplies the red pigment and also serves as a powerful antioxidant.
Ceviche is normally raw seafood marinated in seasoned lemon or lime juice. Here, tomatoes sit in the zesty, vitamin C-rich marinade to absorb the citrus juices. Combined with fragrant basil (loaded with vitamins A and C), crunchy toasted sesame seeds (vitamin B1 and lots of good minerals) and a bit of mozzarella, it becomes a very tasty, wholesome dish.
Vicky Cheng - executive chef at Liberty Exchange Kitchen, where this ceviche is on the menu - says it's not only top-tier supermarkets and organic produce suppliers that stock quality tomato varieties. You can find them in wet markets, too.
Heirloom tomato ceviche
Serves 4-6
Ready in 20 minutes
For the marinade
1 cup yuzu juice (or lime juice)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh, cracked black pepper
For the tomato salad
500g ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2-4 balls buffalo mozzarella, wedged
1 small bunch fresh basil
1 orange, segments peeled
1/4-1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
For the vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup good-quality Japanese soy sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate tomatoes for at least 15 minutes. Combine with rest of the salad ingredients. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle over salad and serve.
