• 1 PAPAYA
• 1 MANGO, peeled and cut
• 1 CUCUMBER, peeled and cut
• 1/2 PINEAPPLE, cleaned and cut
• 2 CHILLIES, chopped
• 2 TBSP TAMARIND JUICE
• 50 GRAM PEANUTS, chopped
• 2 TBSP BROWN SUGAR
• (2 TBSP PRAWN PASTE) optional for non-veggie

• LETTUCE
• 1 CUCUMBER, peeled
• 1/4 WATER MELON< peeled and cleaned
• 300 GRAM BIG PRAWNS, cooked
• BUNCH OF GREEN ONIONS, chopped
• 1 TBSP CURRY POWDER
• 2 TBSP GINGER SYRUP
• 2 TBSP LEMON JUICE
• 4 TBSP MAYONNAISE

Take the inside out of the papaya and chop into pieces. Mix with the mango, pineapple, cucumber and peppers. Make a dressing of tamarind juice, sugar and prawn paste and mix with the salad. Put the salad in the empty papaya and sprinkle the nuts on top. Decorate with fresh coriander of parsley.

This is a recipe from Malaysia. On 31 August Malaysia celebrates Independence Day (Hari Merkeda), because on that date in 1957 they were released by Great Britain. Sarawak and Sabah were not yet included in the Malaysian state.  Click on culinary calendar for more links between cooking and history.

Cut the cucumber and the melon in cubes. Peel the prawns. Put the lettuce on the bottom of a dish. Mix the prawns, melon, cucumber and green onions and put the mixture on top of the lettuce. For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise with the ginger juice, lemon juice and curry and poor it over the salad.