Topshell Salad Recipe

Quick and easy-to-put-together dishes have been always been welcomed; no cooking, minimal washing. This simple topshell salad remembers me of a Thai cold dish as it is sweet, salty and sour all at once.

What is topshell? It is a chewy shellfish which comes clean, cooked and canned, usually marinated in oyster sauce. They tend to be more popular during the Chinese lunar new year but you can get them all year round in supermarkets. You can get a can from major supermarkets, e.g. NTUC at $4.75.

Ingredients
1 can of top shell
5 small limes
Chilli (I used 3 chilli padi, which is spicier)
1 small red onion
Sugar
Parsley (optional)

Method

1. Slice topshells thinly and place in bowl. Leave about 3 tbsp of oyster sauce brine from can to use as base sauce.

2. Squeeze limes, slice chilli and onion thinly. Add to oyster sauce base. Add in a dash of sugar to taste. It will help to balance the tartness from the lime and spiciness from the chilli and raw onion.

3. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes - 1 hour. Shred parsley on top before serving.

Tips

To cut chilli, use a pair of sharp scissors instead of a knife. This will prevent chilli burn/hot tingling sensation on your hands when you handle chilli directly.

When choosing limes, choose those with thinner skins as they hold the most juice. To get the most juice, roll limes over table top before cutting and squeezing them.