I am a sucker for Asian food of all kinds. And salads. Anything that I can make healthy, I’ll try. Twice, even.
Putting together this dish was incredibly easy. I think you’ll find that it is not only delicious but it will become a staple of your dinner table if you like fish, Asian food, and salads as much as I do.
The Recipe
Two 7 oz salmon cutlets—skinless or skin-on is both great for this.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup salad fixings of any kind that you like—I prefer an Asian mix that I found at the store.
1 long Thai chilli, finely sliced—but you can use any hot chili here (red, preferably)
½ cup mint leaves
3 shiso leaves, finely sliced (these are hard to find, but if you do, it’s worth it!)
1 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
2 tbsp crispy fried shallots—I buy the already fried onions, but if you have the talent to fry your own, have at it.
Salt—I prefer the Himalayan salt, but whatever you have on hand.
Asian Dressing
I honestly don’t think you’ll find a better dressing out there than this. Simple, amazing, delicious, and whisks up quickly.
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Pickled Daikon & Carrots
I found this quick-pickling recipe on a Facebook video. It is wonderful. I use it even just for snacks now around the house.
1 small daikon radish, peeled, cut into batons
1 large carrot, peeled, cut into batons
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vinegar
2 tsp sea salt
Putting it all together
Combine the ingredients for the pickled daikon and carrots. Cover and put in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. I usually like to start this in the morning and let it chill all day. It gives it a better flavor, I think, and vastly better crunch.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the Asian dressing.
Season the salmon fillets with salt.
Heat a frying pan over high heat (I prefer cast iron for this to get a good sear, especially if you’re using skin-on salmon). When the pan is hot, add the oil. Then add the salmon and sear for about a minute or until a golden crust forms. Then sear on the other side for a minute. Now turn the heat down to low and cook for about 4 minutes, flipping every so often, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer the salmon to a plate.
In a large bowl, add the salad fixings, a handful of pickled daikon and carrots, hot chilis, mint, shiso (if you found it!) and peanuts. Flake the salmon into large chunks and add into the mix. Drizzle with about half of the Asian dressing. Toss! Add more dressing until you have the taste that appeals to you just perfectly. Dish that up into a bowl and sprinkle that with those the crispy fried shallot or onions.
Enjoy!