Name: Crisp salmon with mint and pickled watermelon rind salad
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets (about 100gm each); 250 ml light soy sauce (1 cup); For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 300 gm watermelon, cut into wedges; 1 cup each mint leaves and coriander leaves (firmly packed); 50 gm beans sprouts (about ½ cup); 10 gm ginger, cut into julienne (2cm piece); 4 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin; 4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded; 2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandolin; 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced; Pickled watermelon rind; 125 ml coconut vinegar (see note) (½ cup); 80 gm white sugar; 2 cinnamon quills; 60 gm watermelon rind, thinly shaved on a mandolin; Green chilli nahm prik; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 red shallot, coarsely chopped; 1 long green chilli, coarsely chopped; 40 gm light palm sugar, or to taste, crushed; 60 ml fish sauce, or to taste (¼ cup); 60 ml lime juice, or to taste (¼ cup)

“I recently celebrated my birthday with friends at Kitsch in Leederville, Perth. We ordered a few dishes to share, and all agreed the salmon and watermelon salad was special. Would the chef mind sharing the recipe?”

Jade Tsen, Mount Hawthorn, WA

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, , GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets (about 100gm each)

250 ml light soy sauce (1 cup)

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

300 gm watermelon, cut into wedges

1 cup each mint leaves and coriander leaves (firmly packed)

50 gm beans sprouts (about ½ cup)

10 gm ginger, cut into julienne (2cm piece)

4 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandolin

2 long red chillies, thinly sliced

Pickled watermelon rind

125 ml coconut vinegar (see note) (½ cup)

80 gm white sugar

2 cinnamon quills

60 gm watermelon rind, thinly shaved on a mandolin

Green chilli nahm prik

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 red shallot, coarsely chopped

1 long green chilli, coarsely chopped

40 gm light palm sugar, or to taste, crushed

60 ml fish sauce, or to taste (¼ cup)

60 ml lime juice, or to taste (¼ cup)

Method

Main

1.Place salmon in a non-reactive container large enough to fit fish snugly. Pour over soy, season to taste with freshly ground white pepper and refrigerate to marinate (1 hour).

2.Meanwhile, for pickled watermelon rind, bring vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the boil in a saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid reduces slightly (5-7 minutes). Add watermelon rind and simmer until rind softens (5-7 minutes), then set aside to cool in liquid. Watermelon rind will will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

3.Meanwhile, for green chilli nahm prik, preheat oven to 200C. Roast garlic, shallot and chilli on an oven tray lined with baking paper until golden (5-7 minutes). Cool slightly, then pound in a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Add palm sugar, pound to break up sugar, then add fish sauce and lime juice, stir to combine (adjust seasoning to taste; dressing should be sweet, salty, hot and sour) and set aside.

4.Preheat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan to 180C. Pat salmon dry with absorbent paper, then deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp (2-3 minutes; be careful as hot oil will spit), remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper, then coarsely flake.

5.Drain watermelon rind (discard liquid) and combine with remaining ingredients and salmon in a bowl, drizzle over green chilli nahm prik, toss to combine and serve.

Coconut vinegar is available from Asian grocers.
This recipe is from the February 2011 issue of
.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Alice Storey

Styling by Vanessa Austin