Pineapple and Chilli Salsa

I was first inspired to make this delicious and so simple salsa by tasting a hot pineapple chutney with fish tacos at Panama House in Bondi – it was a taste sensation at the time, adding a lovely balance of flavours and texture to complete the dish - sweetness and heat to the crunchy battered fish and the soft warm taco – I still love that combination! 

I don’t often have the time to make tacos, so for a great midweek meal I found another dish this salsa suits perfectly and adds such a simple special touch – I regularly serve it with a Thai curry, especially a red fish curry. You can simply pan fry a piece of your favourite white fish, even salmon or trout, and spoon over a mix of warmed coconut milk with a good dollop of red curry paste and a splash of fish sauce with a pinch of sugar. Or pour the curry mix over each fish fillet (skinless preferably ) and wrap in foil individually - bake in a preheated hot oven at 220°C for 10 mins (or more depending how big the fish pieces are) – open one up and check if the fish is flaking. Serve with rice and green beans. 

To note - If the curry sauce is already quite spicy you may only want to add 1 chilli to the salsa, up to you!

Pictured: Pineapple and Chilli Salsa

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and soft flesh only cut into small dice

1 – 2 red chillies, finely diced – depending how hot you like it

2 spring/green onions, white part only finely diced

2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

½ tbsp fish sauce

A pinch of caster sugar, to taste

optional - 1 Lebanese cucumber or ½ telegraph cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded, finely diced

Mix all the ingredients together and let side for at least 10 minutes for the flavours to develop. Feel free to add more citrus juice and fish sauce if you like it with more zing, or a touch more sugar if you like it sweet to balance the chilli etc. To add more crunch and freshness, stir in the cucumber just before serving.

Makes 1 - 2 cups depending on the size of the pineapple