FRUIT SALAD WITH CHILLI LIME SYRUP

Fruit Salad with Chilli Lime Syrup

Fruit salad can have many components depending on where you live and the season. In Malaysia, we are blessed with tropical fruits, some of which I'm still not keen on. I'm not a big fan of jackfruit or longan and I downright hate durian. But I adore the mangoes, coconuts, papayas, rambutans, bananas, mangosteens, passionfruit and pineapples, which are out of this world. And cheap! These tropical fruits are delicious without any dressing but when you add a spicy Thai-style syrup to them, they are transported to another dimension of deliciousness. I'm sharing a salad I made yesterday for a friend's birthday but you can try this with any luscious fruit that happens to be in season wherever you live. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere where berries are plentiful, add raspberries, blackberries and strawberries too.

PS I didn't entirely make this up. Huge thanks to Jill Dupleix whose book Old Food had been my go-to for many years. The addition of a spicy syrup is her idea. I've just continually played around with Jill's recipe over time.

THE FRUIT I USED TO MAKE A HUGE FRUIT SALAD THAT FED 8 WITH SECOND HELPINGS AND LEFTOVERS

1/2 sweet pineapple, cut into small chunks

1 huge Thai mango, peeled and cubed

pulp from 2 passionfruit

bunch seedless grapes

4 fresh ripe figs, trimmed and sliced

1 punnet big blueberries

20 rambutans, peeled

6 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

1 pomegranate, seeds carefully picked over

mint leaves to decorate

SPICY SYRUP FOR CHILLI LOVERS

250g white sugar

1.5 cups water

thumb-sized knob peeled and grated ginger

1 little red-hot Thai chilli, sliced

3 limes, juiced

1lime, sliced

1/2 bunch mint

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until, sugar has completely dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the liquid has turned a slightly amber colour. Let cool.

Strain into a jug.

Pour over the whole fruit salad if you have brave guests or allow them to add the syrup if they wish.