Wakame and baby cucumber with shallot and coriander seed crisp
Substitute the wakame for any other seaweed that you like or have to hand. And keep the shallot and coriander crisp in mind for other dishes: it works really well on all sorts of noodle and rice dishes.
Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Serving size
4 people
Ingredients
For the shallot and coriander seed crisp:
75ml olive oil
2 shallots (100g), peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
5g ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Salt
¾ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
30g dried wakame, soaked in cold water
5 baby cucumbers ( 200g), or 1 regular cucumber, seeds scooped out and flesh cut into ½cm-wide slices
For the dressing:
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp lime juice
To serve:
1 tsp sesame oil
10g picked coriander leaves
Method
1. Put the oil in a small saute pan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add the shallots, garlic, ginger and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until everything is lightly golden and crisp, then take off the heat, add the sugar, chilli flakes and coriander seeds, mix well and leave to cool.
2. Drain the soaked wakame in a colander, squeeze out as much water as possible, then put in a large bowl. Put the cucumber slices in the same colander, set it over a bowl, add an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, toss to coat and leave to steep for at least five minutes.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over the drained seaweed. Add the cucumber to the bowl, toss to coat, then transfer to a lipped platter or large plate. Drizzle the final teaspoon of sesame oil on the top, sprinkle over the coriander leaves and half the shallot and coriander crisp, then serve with the rest of the crisp on the side.