Sweet and salty salmon with spicy soy sauce and carrot and ginger salad

Ingredients:

• 200 g salmon loin
• 100 g salt
• 100 g sugar

Ingredients for Mixed Spices:

• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp anis seeds
• 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 vanilla pod
• 1/2 tsp powder nutmeg

Ingredients for Spicy Soy Sauce:

• 100 ml (1 dl) soy sauce
• 1/3 garlic clove, finely chopped
• Zest of one lime, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lime juice

Ingredients for Carrot and Ginger Salad:

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 20g ginger, peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 1 tsp cilantro, chopped
• lime juice
• salt

Method:

1. Roast the spices in a dry iron pan and crush in a mortar or spice grinder to bring out the flavour.

2. Trim the salmon to an oblong 5 x 15 cm. Mix salt and sugar, cover the fish in the mixture and leave at room temperature for about 3 hours. Brush off excess salt and sugar and refrigerate for 6 hours. Rinse quickly in cold water and dry with paper towels. Roll the loin in the spice mixture and fry the fish on both sides quickly in a hot pan, just enough to colour it slightly on the outside. Cut the salmon into slices approximately 2 mm x 5 cm.

3. Mix all the ingredients for the spicy soy sauce together.
4. Toss the ingredients for carrot and ginger salad together, and flavour the salad to taste with lime juice and salt.
5. Serve immediately.

Mango Yuzu Foam With Ikura

Ingredients:

• 500ml (2 cups) melted mango sorbet
• 3 small yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit)
• 60ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
• 5g gelatine
• 100g ikura (Salmon roe)

Method:

1. Put the sorbet in a saucepan.  Add the juice and grated zest of two of the yuzu and the lemon juice.
2. Bring mixture to a bare simmer, cool and refrigerate overnight.
3. Put chilled mixture through a fine strainer.
4. Soften the gelatine for 5 minutes in 100ml of the chilled mango mixture and heat the remaining 400ml to a bare simmer.
5. Combine the hot and cold mixtures and stir to dissolve gelatine.
6. Pour the mixture into a 500ml siphon, a device used for making whipped cream and foams, and load with two charges.
7. Chill the siphon overnight.
8. Spoon a teaspoon of ikura into a shot glass or parfait glass, then dispense foam to cover.
9. Finish by sprinkling yuzu zest from the 3rd yuzu over the foam.

Note: If you don’t have a siphon to make foam, make mango yuzu sorbet instead.  Omit the gelatine and freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine or in a tray, blending periodically to break up ice crystals.  Spoon into a shot glass and top up with ikura.  Finish with a light grating of yuzu zest.

Prawn Sushi Cones

This recipe makes 16.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups (330g) sushi rice or short-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 avocado
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber
• 8 sheets nori (seaweed), cut in half on the diagonal
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 80g pickled ginger
• 16 cooked medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• Soy sauce, to serve

Method:

1. Place the rice in a sieve and rinser under cold running water.  Set aside to drain for 1 hour.  Place the drained rice in a large saucepan and add 1.5 cups (375ml) water.  Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the ehat to very low and cook, tightly covered for 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the rice to a large shallow bowl and drizzle with the vinegar.  Fold the vinegar through the rice, tossing lightly with a large metal spoon or spatula to cool as you combine.  Do not use a stirring action; it will make the rice mushy.
3. Quarter and peel the avocado and cut each quarter into four long wedges.  Trim the ends of the cucumber, then cut lengthways into 16 strips.
4. Hold a sheet of nori shiny-side-down, flat in your hand.  Place 2 tablespoons of rice on the left-hand side and spread out over half the nori sheet.  Dab with a little wasabi and top with some pickled ginger.  Place a strip each of avocado and cucumber on the rice and top with one prawn.  Roll up the nori to form a cone, enclosing the smaller end.  Repeat, using all the ingredients.  Serve with soy sauce.

Grilled Yakitori Chicken

This recipe makes 8 to 10 skewers.

Ingredients:

• 450g (1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 80 ml (2/3 cups) sweet rice wine or cooking Sherry
• 60ml (1/4 cup) Maggi seasoning sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives plus more for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon fresh, peeled, finely chopped ginger
• 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 10 skewers

Method:

1. Combine rice wine, Maggi seasoning sauce, honey, chives, ginger, garlic and sesame oil in a medium bowl.  Add chicken; cover and marinate for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
2. Thread chicken into skewers; reserve marinade.
3. Grill or broil skewers over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until done, basting occasionally with marinade and turning frequently.
4. Place marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Strain and serve as dipping sauce.  Sprinkle with additional chopped chives, if desired.

Note: If using wooden skewers, soak for 30 minutes in water before threading.

Japanese Miso Soup

Ingredients:

• 750g water
• 2 3/4 tablespoon miso paste
• 2 tablespoon dashi
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Ingredients for Garnishing:

• 1 roll Japanese soft bean curd, cut into 10 slices
• 8 pieces Japanese roasted seaweed, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoon chopped spring onions

Method:

1. Put water in a pot and bring to boil.  When it begins to boil, add miso paste and dashi.
2. Add the Japanese bean curd slices, reduce the heat and simmer the soup over medium heat for 1 – 2 minutes.  Add salt, sugar and sesame oil.
3. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with spring onions and lots of seaweed strips.  Serve the soup hot.

Soba Noodles Platter

This recipe serves 4 to 5.

Ingredients:

• 280ml (1.125 cup or 9 oz) fresh or 250ml (1 cup or 8 oz) dried Soba noodles

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 250ml (1 cup) creamy peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tablespoons Maggi Taste of Asia cooking soy sauce
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Maggi Taste of Asia chilli garlic sauce
• 60ml (1/4 cup) chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice

Ingredients for Topping:

• 125ml (1/2 cup) bean sprouts
• 125ml (1/2 cup) shredded cucumber
• 60ml (1/4 cup) shredded carrot
• 60ml (1/4 cup) shredded honey ham
• 60ml (1/4 cup) thinly sliced flavoured baked tofu, or extra-firm tofu
• 60ml (1/4 cup) shredded smoked salmon

Method:

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions.  Rinse in cold water and drain.  Set aside.
2. Place water, peanut butter, soy sauce and chilli garlic sauce in small saucepan; heat over low fire, stirring until smooth.  Stir in basil, oil and lime juice.  Taste sauce and adjust for heat level.  Pour into serving bowl to cool.
3. Arrange noodles, bowl of sauce and toppings on large serving plate.  Each diner mixes sauce with noodles and chooses toppings as to their liking.  Serve cold.

California Healthy Handrolls

This recipe is for 1 serving.

Ingredients:

Half piece - Seaweed
20 g – Bamboo Shoots
5 g – Mayonnaise
5 g – Sesame Seeds & Peanut Powder
30 g – Unagi (Eel)
20 g – Honeydew
1 g – Red Ebiko (ebiko = fish roe)

Method:

1. Toast the seaweed until the seaweed is a bit cripy. (Not too cripy)
2. Wash the bamboo shoots, boil until it’s cooked, then soak in ice water for 5 minutes. Drain the water.
3. Roast the unagi for 2 minutes.
4. Cut the honeydew as the same length as the bamboo shoots.
5. Dry your hands first before handling the seaweed.
6. Place the bamboo shoots on top of the seaweed., squeeze some mayonnaise on top. Then sprinkle some sesame seeds and peanut powder. Place the honeydew and unagi on top.
7. Roll the seaweed like an ice-cream cone and sprinkle some ebiko on top.