Malay Kerabu Ice Plant with Toasted Coconut, Dried Shrimp & Lime
Crunchy Aeroveg Ice Plant tossed in a sharp lime-chilli dressing with toasted coconut and dried shrimp — a Malay kerabu salad that's ready in 20 minutes.
Kerabu is Malaysia's answer to the cold-dressed salad — punchy, herby, and built on contrast. Aeroveg Ice Plant is made for this treatment: its naturally saline, crystalline cells add crunch and seasoning that coconut and dried shrimp can't replicate. Tossed in a sharp lime-chilli dressing, it's a side dish that earns its place at any table, from a weeknight dinner to a weekend spread.
Method
- Toast the coconut. In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the desiccated coconut for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- Bloom the dried shrimp. In the same pan, toast the dried shrimp for 1 minute until aromatic. Remove and roughly chop.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and sambal oelek until the sugar dissolves. Taste — it should be sharp, savoury, and a little spicy.
- Soften the shallots. Soak the shallot slices in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow their bite, then drain and pat dry.
- Toss. In a mixing bowl, combine Aeroveg Ice Plant, toasted coconut, dried shrimp, shallot, red chilli, mint, and kaffir lime leaves if using. Pour over the dressing and toss gently.
- Serve immediately. The Ice Plant holds its crunch beautifully, but this salad is best eaten fresh before the leaves soften.
Aeroveg Ice Plant stores natural salt in its crystalline surface cells — those tiny water beads you see when you look closely. This means the salad seasons itself as you dress it. Always taste the dressing before adding salt; you may find you need none at all.