SUMMER FRESH GARDEN SALAD from the Kitchen of Mala Goenka

With Ice Apple (Tadgola) · Kewpie
Roasted Sesame · Tahina Dressing · Glass Noodles

Serves: 4 people Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Diet: Vegetarian

This Summer Fresh Garden Salad is everything a warm-day salad should be — light, refreshing, and bursting with texture. The true star of this dish is the Tadgola, known in English as Ice Apple — a seasonal summer fruit with a delicate, pale jelly-like flesh that melts on your tongue. Silky glass noodles weave through crisp water chestnuts, creamy fresh coconut and buttery edamame, all lifted by the cool sweetness of ice apple and tied together with the most flavourful tahina-sesame dressing you will make all summer. Vibrant, elegant, and almost too beautiful for a bowl.

THE STAR OF THE SALAD — TADGOLA (ICE APPLE)
Tadgola, called Ice Apple in English, is the cooling summer fruit of the Palmyra palm tree. It has a thin, light mustard-coloured outer skin that you peel away to reveal a translucent, jelly-like flesh inside — soft, mildly sweet and incredibly refreshing, almost like nature’s own gel. It looks a little like a lychee once peeled but tastes far more delicate. In this salad, the ice apple adds a beautiful cooling quality that makes it perfect for the hottest days of summer. Scoop the flesh gently away from the skin and slice into pieces — handle it with care as it is very soft and delicate.

INGREDIENTS

THE SALAD
3–4 pieces
Tadgola (Ice Apple), peeled and sliced gently ★
½ cup
Glass noodles (dry, soaked in cold water)
¾ cup
Edamame beans, shelled and steamed
1 cup
Water chestnuts, peeled and diced small
½ cup
Spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
½ cup
Fresh coconut, grated or in thin strips (Giri works too)
Handful
Crushed roasted peanuts, to garnish

THE TAHINA DRESSING
2 tbsp
Tahina paste (homemade — see method below — or Lebanese store-bought)
2 tbsp
Kewpie Roasted Sesame dressing
2 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp
Honey
½ lemon
Freshly squeezed juice
To taste
Garlic, minced (optional)

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TAHINA PASTE

1. Gently heat ¼ cup sesame (til) oil in a pan over medium-low heat.
2. Add 1 cup white sesame seeds and toast, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant — about 4–5 minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn.
3. Cool slightly, then blend the seeds and oil together until you have a smooth, creamy paste. Store any leftover in a jar in the fridge.

METHOD

Step 1 — Soak the Glass Noodles
Place the dry glass noodles in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10–15 minutes until softened and translucent. They expand considerably — ½ cup dry is plenty for 4 people. Drain well, then snip with scissors into shorter, manageable lengths.

Step 2 — Prepare the Edamame
Steam the edamame pods for 4–5 minutes until tender. Once cool enough to handle, pop the beans out of their pods. Set aside.

Step 3 — Prepare the Tadgola (Ice Apple) ★
Look for tadgolas with a light mustard-coloured skin. Gently peel away the outer skin with your fingers or a small knife. Inside you will find 2–3 segments of soft, translucent jelly-like flesh. Scoop these out carefully with a spoon and slice into neat pieces. Handle them gently — they are soft, cooling and delicate. Set aside and fold into the salad last so they hold their shape beautifully.

Step 4 — Prep the Remaining Vegetables
Peel the water chestnuts and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the spring onions on an angle. Grate or slice the fresh coconut into thin strips — Giri (desiccated coconut) works well if fresh is not available.

Step 5 — Whisk the Dressing
In a small bowl combine the tahina paste, Kewpie Roasted Sesame dressing, extra-virgin olive oil, honey and fresh lemon juice. Add minced garlic if using. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth, creamy and emulsified. Taste and adjust — a little more lemon for brightness, more honey to mellow.

Step 6 — Toss and Assemble
In a large salad bowl, combine the drained glass noodles, edamame, water chestnuts, spring onions and fresh coconut. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Now carefully fold in the tadgola (ice apple) pieces last — do not toss too hard or they will break. Their cooling sweetness will perfume the whole salad beautifully.

Step 7 — Garnish and Serve
Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Scatter crushed roasted peanuts generously over the top for crunch. Serve immediately — best enjoyed fresh and well chilled on a summer day.

NOTES

• Tadgola (Ice Apple) is a seasonal summer fruit — look for ones with a firm, light mustard skin. Once peeled the flesh is extremely soft and perishable, so prepare them just before assembling the salad. Do not soak in water.
  
• Glass noodles are also called cellophane or bean thread noodles, found in most Asian grocery stores. Only ¼ of a standard packet is needed for 7–8 people, so ½ cup dry is perfect for 4.
  
• For the olive oil, use a good quality extra-virgin variety — it makes a real difference to the dressing.
  
• Make the dressing ahead and refrigerate; it keeps for up to 3 days and gets even better as the flavours meld.
  
• Dress the salad just before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh.