I can’t remember the last time I made a caprese—covering up a tomato's tangy, umami-rich and almost berry-sweet flavors with milky mozzarella and overly tart balsamic just doesn’t appeal to me. If I’m going to serve my tomatoes in a salad, that salad better respect the tomato.

Contrast is the most important ingredient in any salad, and Myanmar’s khayan jin thee thoke is a riot of varying (yet complimentary) tastes and textures. This vibrant tomato salad captures the essence of Burmese cooking—it doesn’t just respect the garden-fresh fruits, it celebrates then. Our version of the salad is an adaptation of a recipe from “The Rangoon Sisters” by London-based supper-club hosts and authors Amy Chung and Emily Chung. You can find the recipe in our-soon-to-be-released cookbook, “Milk Street Shorts,” out October 14. (You can preorder it now.)

In addition to tomatoes, it’s packed with surprising flavor pops: chilies, crunchy peanuts, crispy fried shallots, savory fresh shallots, nutty toasted chickpea flour and a balance of umami-rich fish sauce and zingy lime juice. The ingredients push and pull on the palate, never lingering for too long or overpowering the others.

Use a variety of shapes and sizes

We call for a combination of cherry tomatoes and larger, round varieties. The latter can be whatever you like, but this salad is at its best (and prettiest) when you use a variety. I went with Supersonics from my garden and Indigo Roses from a neighbor—the slivers of dark purple popped gorgeously among all the red.

The dressing is in the juice

This salad isn’t dressed with ranch, a vinaigrette or even any oil. Instead, we let the juices from the tomatoes mix and meld with lime juice and fish sauce; the lime provides a hit of citrusy acidity that makes the tomatoes taste all the sweeter by comparison, while the fish sauce reinforces the savoriness brought by the natural glutamates in the tomatoes. Lime zest adds a heady, floral aroma; cilantro brings a verdant pepperiness. Serrano chilies add a little heat, without obliterating your tongue.

To keep things from getting too watery, we core the larger tomatoes, removing their seeds and the surrounding gel. Save the innards for another use. They bring juicy depth to soups and sauces.

Two types of shallots bring the texture

A total of four thinly sliced shallots are used to make this salad. Half are soaked in ice water, to dilute and deactivate some of the harsher, stingier compounds while plumping the slices with a little osmosis. The other half are fried in neutral oil until crisp and browned. You get juicy-crisp, fresh slices and caramelized, fried bits, all from one allium.

Chickpea flour and peanuts anchor the salad

Nuttiness is a subtle but key component to the salad. It anchors the juiciness of the tomatoes and pungency of the shallots with deeper flavor notes. In numerous Burmese dishes, toasted chickpea flour brings earthiness and adds some starchiness, binding some of the liquid from the fruits. Peanuts further amplify the nutty richness while adding crunch. Toasting the flour is easy: Add a few tablespoons to a dry pan and stir over medium-high heat until it browns and starts to smell nice and toasty.

This salad is best when served immediately; the tomatoes will continue to release moisture as they sit, rendering the fried shallots soft.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.

And if you're looking for more Milk Street, check out our livestream cooking classes with our favorite chefs, home cooks and friends for global recipes, cooking methods and more.

Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.