With the point of the knife, make zigzag cuts extending to the center around the circumference of each shallot, and then separate the two halves.
Separate the layers of each half of the shallot, and then nest the layers one inside the other once again, centering the petals of each layer between those of the adjacent layer to form a lotus flower.
Cut away the roots and the tips of the leaves. With the tip of the knife, slit the leaves along their length and open them out flat. Make diagonal cuts along the two edges of each leaf, working from the base to the tip.
Run each leaf between a finger and the back of the knife to curl it.
Cut each eggplant from the tip almost to the base deviding it into three sections, taking care that they do not become detached.
Cut off a small portion of the tip of each section and then cut out the seeds.
Shape the petals attractively.
Make curving cuts through the face of each petal so as to produce three petals, one inside the other. When completed, soak the flower in a mixture of water and lime juice to keep it from blackening.
Select bright red tomatoes without any bruises and wash them.
Slice the tomato through the stem end to obtain two halves.
From each of the halves, cut a wedge shaped slice about one cm. wide at the broad end.
Carefully cut the skin away from the flesh of each of the wedges down almost to the stem end. Place the two wedges together so that the stem ends are touching as shown in the picture, and then carefully curl the skins of the two halves.
Make cuts parallel to and about 0.5 cm. from the two cut faces of a tomato half so as to obtain about five V-shaped slices.
Nest these V-shaped slices between the two wedges, and then arrange them so that the tip of each slice projects slightly beyond the one below.