Crispy salmon salad with sour fruits, tempura watercress & chilli & lime nahm yum dressing

Ah, watercress! Often overshadowed by its leafy cousins, this peppery green has a rather illustrious history. Did you know that watercress sandwiches were once the snack of choice for Victorian aristocrats? They believed it to be a cure-all, from freckles to baldness. While I can't promise it will regrow hair, this dish certainly delivers on flavour and texture. With a crispy tempura twist and the zing of fresh lime, it's a salad that dances on your taste buds. Let's dive into this vibrant concoction, perfect for sunny days and impressing your dinner guests alike!

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• A handful of watercress

• 25g picked mint leaves

• 10g krachai (wild ginger), peeled & thinly sliced (optional but tasty)

• 10g betal leaves, washed and torn (optional but tasty)

• 100g pomelo, peeled and pith removed

• 25g picked coriander

• 5 Thai shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 green mango, stone out, peeled, chopped into bite-sized bits

• 1 mandarin (clementine or orange will do), peeled and split into segments

• 2 fillets (roughly 400g) Salmon, skinned but keep skin for garnish, chopped into 2cm x 2cm chunks

• 2 tbsp fish sauce (to marinate the salmon skin)

• 1 litre rapeseed oil (for shallow frying)

For the Tempura Batter:

• 100g plain flour, sifted

• 30g tapioca flour (rice flour or corn flour will do)

• 240ml icy cold water

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

For the Dressing:

• 5 large red chillies, de-seeded & thinly sliced

• 2 limes, juiced

• 2 mandarins, juiced

• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 small pinch salt

• 3 pinches caster sugar

Method:

1. Cook the Salmon:

• Soak the salmon skin in fish sauce, then drop it into hot oil and fry for around 30 seconds. Remove using tongs and drain on towels.

• Carefully drop the salmon chunks into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on the outside and moist inside. Remove and drain on paper towels.

2. Make the Dressing:

• Using a pestle and mortar, pound the sliced chillies with a small pinch of salt into a smooth paste (the salt acts as an abrasive).

• Add the sugar and continue to pestle until combined to a smooth paste.

• Add the lime juice, mandarin juice, and fish sauce. Adjust as needed to balance sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavours.

3. Prepare the Tempura Watercress:

• Whisk the cold water with soy sauce. Mix the plain and tapioca flours together, then sift into the water mixture. Whisk gently, leaving some lumps.

• Heat oil in a deep wok or pan to around 180°C. Dip watercress into the batter, then fry for 30 seconds to a minute until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

4. Assemble the Salad:

• In a mixing bowl, combine mint leaves, betel leaves, krachai, coriander, Thai shallot, pomelo, green mango, and mandarin segments.

• Add salmon chunks and pour a generous amount of dressing over the top. Gently fold the dressing into the ingredients.

5. Plate Up:

• Place a portion of the salmon salad in the centre of a plate. Drizzle excess dressing around the edge.

• Top with large pieces of tempura-battered watercress and crispy salmon skin.

Thanks for diving into this recipe with me. I hope it brings a burst of sunshine to your table. Until next time, keep those taste buds tingling!