The beauty of this dish is that the seaweed protects the fish while cooking so keeps it beautifully moist. Seaweed is of course a great accompaniment to almost any fish so try this recipe with trout or cod or sea bass or whatever you happen to have to hand.
475 CALORIES | 33G FAT | 6G SATURATES | 0.5G CARBS | 0.5G SUGAR | 0.3G SALT | 42G PROTEIN | 2G FIBRE
SERVES 4
8 nori (seaweed) sheets
1 teaspoon wasabi paste (optional)
4 x 200g skinless salmon fillets
for the marinade
2.5cm cube fresh ginger, grated
juice of ½ lime
a handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 small red bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
for the pak choi
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 heads pak choi, leaves separated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1. First make the marinade: In a small bowl, mix together the ginger, lime, coriander, garlic, sesame oil and chilli, then set aside.
2. Lay out 4 sheets of seaweed paper on a chopping board. If you are using the wasabi, take a chopstick or knife and run a thin line of paste across each sheet, then lay the salmon on top. Drizzle the marinade over each salmon fillet, then lay a seaweed sheet on top and rest for 2 minutes so the seaweed absorbs the liquid and the flavours. Now fold over all the edges to make a parcel.
3. Place the salmon parcels in a bamboo steamer and steam for 12–15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the pak choi and garlic for a few minutes until wilted.
5. Transfer the salmon to a chopping board and, with a sharp knife, slice each parcel into three or four pieces. Serve with the pak choi on the side.
TIP
Wasabi is a Japanese plant in the same family as horseradish, cabbage, and mustard. In its completely natural form, it is a Paleo ingredient and yet sadly, as it’s a plant that’s hard to grow, the ‘wasabi’ condiment you’re most likely served at sushi restaurants is not wasabi at all. If it is green, it has food colouring in it, and it might also contain some form of starch too. You should be able to find powdered wasabi root at Japanese markets, but be warned that it will be pricey!
