“There was probably a time when a sashimi salad would have thrown Japanese food purists into a conniption. Some are probably shaking their heads about it right now,” Adam Liaw writes of this recipe.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that these salads are some of the most popular items at casual and modern izakayas around the country and all over the world. The tender fish and fresh vegetables are perfectly offset by crispy shreds of wonton.”

Sashimi Salad

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 1 min

Ingredients

About 2 litres oil, for deep-frying
6 wonton wrappers
300g mixed sashimi (kingfish, tuna and salmon)
1 small red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
4 cups mixed salad leaves
1 cup finely shredded daikon
1 cup snow pea shoots
½ cup Onion and Garlic Vinaigrette (see below)

Method

1 Heat the oil to 200C. Very thinly slice the wonton wrappers and deep-fry in batches for about 1 minute until crispy and lightly browned. Drain well.

2 Toss the sashimi, onion, salad leaves, daikon, snow pea shoots and about half the dressing together. Place in a mound on a plate and top with the remaining dressing and the wonton crisps.

Some believe the rise of sashimi salads in Japan came about from the popularity of the yee sang, a modern raw fish salad that’s become a Chinese New Year staple around Singapore and Malaysia – a dish that was originally inspired by Japanese sashimi. And so the wheel turns.

Recipe and image from The Zen Kitchen, by Adam Liaw, published by Hachette Australia, $49.99.

Onion and Garlic Vinaigrette

“The onion adds body to this dressing, helping it stick to salad ingredients. The pungency of raw onion that makes you cry when you cut it gives the dressing a lovely gentle spiciness.”

Makes about 1½ cups
Preparation time: 10 mins

Ingredients

1 small onion (preferably white, but you can use a brown onion*)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp caster sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grapeseed oil

Method

1 Finely grate the onion and garlic on a Japanese grater. If you don’t have a Japanese grater, mince them very finely with a knife. Combine with the sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and pepper, and whisk lightly to combine and dissolve the sugar. You don’t want to emulsify this dressing as it may become too thick. Add the oil all at once and rest in the fridge for a few hours to mellow. Shake before use.

*White onions have a sweeter and less pungent taste than brown onions, which makes them perfect for this dressing.