Pounded chayote and apple salad

Spoon out the soft chayote seed; cut into big slices, then cut each slice on a bias into sticks. Cut the apples the same way.

Pound garlic and chili in the mortar until there are no big chunks of chili.

Add finely chopped palm sugar and pound to a muddy, moist paste; it need not fully dissolve.

Add the dried shrimp, roughly chopped if large, and pound briefly to break them up.

Add roasted unsalted cashews and crush into small pieces to thicken the dressing; flip the mixture with a spoon.

Add fresh lime juice and fish sauce and swirl to mix.

Cut tomatoes into offset wedges, add, and squish a couple of times to release their juice into the dressing.

Move to a mixing bowl (or finish there if using a small mortar); add the chayote and the apples, the apples dressed in a little lime juice so they don't brown.

Shred in a little carrot with a julienne peeler (or hand julienne), add chopped green onions, toss and taste.

Drain thin apple slices soaked in lime water and fan them on a dark plate as a bed; pile the salad on and top with whole cashews.