From Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China (Random House Canada, 2008)

Naomi Duguid writes: "I came across fresh tomato salsa in a rural market in Guizhou, in a town called Chong'an. It was one of a number of condiments and toppings at a noodle stand. The fresh flavour of the tomatoes combined with the salt and a little sesame oil was like a new discovery.

Serve as a topping for rice noodles or other noodles, as a condiment with any meal, or as a salsa with sticky rice or chips. To use as a topping for noodles, pour over the noodles, either hot or at room temperature, using about a cup of salsa per serving. To serve as a condiment, put out in a bowl with a spoon."

4 medium-large perfectly ripe, thin-skinned tomatoes

1 scallion, minced or about 1 tablespoon minced chives

1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2 mL to 5 mL) roasted sesame oil, to taste

1 teaspoon (5 mL) kosher salt or sea salt, or to taste

Working over a bowl to catch the juices, cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and drop them into the bowl. Then squeeze out the tomatoes a handful at a time to soften them and squeeze out more juice. Add the minced scallion or chives and sesame oil and stir to mix. Add the salt and stir, then taste and adjust the oil and salt if you wish.