Corn, chili, coconut sambal

Whole corn cobs grilled charred-sweet on the BBQ for five minutes, kernels shaved off with a knife and tossed with shredded dried coconut, quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced red chilli, lime zest and a fistful of torn coriander. A sambal-style side with smoke woven through it.

The Sri Lankan and South Indian pol sambol (coconut sambal) is the template here: shredded coconut, chilli, lime, onion. The corn substitution is the modern Australian addition that gives the sambal a sweet, smoky depth and turns it from condiment into proper side dish.

The char on the corn matters. Get the cobs over moderate coals (not screaming hot) and turn them every minute or so until the kernels blister black on the high points. The Maillard browning is what gives the dish its signature dark-sweet edge; underdone corn leaves the sambal tasting raw.

Fresh coconut would be the traditional choice but the shredded dried (the long, ribbon-cut variety from Asian grocers, not the desiccated stuff in the supermarket baking aisle) is the available substitute that delivers the same chew without the prep work. Toss everything together five minutes before serving so the coconut absorbs some of the corn's moisture. A red onion sliced fine through it; olive oil, salt, pepper. Sits well alongside grilled chicken, fish or pork.