Thai Pineapple Salad with Cucumber and Peanuts

INGREDIENTS:

• SERVES 4 as a Salad or 2 as a Main Entree
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks (if using fresh pineapple, see cutting instructions below)
• 1 English cucumber, or 1 medium field cucumber
• 3 spring onions (green onions), sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly, or diced
• 1/2 cup dry whole roasted unsalted peanuts
• handful of ground peanuts (or roughly chopped), OR subsitute another nut, such as cashews
• 1 cup fresh coriander + handful of fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped if leaves are large)
• SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red chilli, de-seeded and minced, OR 1 tsp. chili sauce (or more if you want it extra spicy)
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, OR vegetarian fish sauce (look for vegetarian fish sauce at Vietnamese stores)
• juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste, OR 1/2 Tbsp. more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce)
• optional: 1 Tbsp. pineapple juice (use the juice from the can, OR squeeze a little from a fresh slice of pineapple)
• OTHER (optional): To make this salad a complete meal, add 1 cup cooked shrimp, or 1 package deep-fried tofu