Pickled Cucumber & Edamame Bean Salad with Sesame Salmon

PICKLED CUCUMBER AND EDAMAME SALAD WITH STICKY RICE AND PAN FRIED SESAME SALMON

This succulent pan fried, lightly smoked salmon dish is accompanied by one of the most delicious and popular rice dishes and rounded off by a quick Asian version of crunchy pickled cucumbers. In this recipe jasmine rice is slowly cooked in thick, creamy coconut rice, transforming a staple grain into a talking point. 

  The rice has two ingredients and one very important tool – its very own tin. By using the tin as the measuring guide, first by emptying out its thick, creamy contents, then filling with water and finally using it as a guide for the rice we have created the perfect coconut rice and finally fresh and sweet soybeans are stirred through the dish. Alongside the star of the show is a lightly marinated, sticky fillet of salmon, topped with nutty sesame seeds and pea shoots, as well as ribbons of the pickled cucumber. This dish is fabulous for sharing with friends, on a warm spring day. But the rice is perfectly acceptable to be made all year round, over and over again.

PICKLED CUCUMBER AND EDAMAME SALAD WITH STICKY RICE AND PAN FRIED SESAME SALMON

INGREDIENTS 

1 tin coconut milk

1 tin water

1 tin jasmine rice

½ cucumber, thinly sliced in to ribbons

3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. nigella seeds

120g edamame beans

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. clear honey

½ tbsp. soy sauce

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely grated

2 fillets salmon

1 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

a large handful pea shoots

METHOD 

1. Cook the rice. Make the sticky rice. Empty one can of coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Fill the empty tin with boiling water and add that into the pot. Finally add a tin full of basmati rice. Bring to the boil before simmering for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow the rice to patiently sit until you are ready for it.

2. In a small bowl combine the cucumber, 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, salt and the nigella seeds. Allow to pickle for at least half an hour.

3. Cook the beans. Place the beans in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside.

4.     Combine the sesame oil, remaining vinegar, honey, soy, chilli and ginger together in a bowl and place your salmon fillets in with the mixture to infuse for 15 minutes.

5.     Turn the grill to a medium heat and place the salmon skinside down on a lined baking tray. Cook for 5 minutes, turn the salmon over and baste with more of the marinade, cook for a further 5 minutes.

6.     Spoon the rice and edamame on to two plates. Top with the salmon and dress with the pickled cucumber. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and garnish with pea shoots. Serve.