salmon tartar with crispy rice

I think this might be one of my new fav’s. Raw salmon, tossed with avocado, cucumber, radish, a healthy dose of nuoc cham, and handful of crispy rice.

It’s tangy, fresh, a little spicy, and makes a heck of an app.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp nuoc cham dressing

juice of 5 limes

1/3 cup fish sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp sambal

water to taste, about 1/4 - 1/3 cup

1/4 cup crispy rice

package frozen brown rice, microwaved 3 minutes 30 seconds and left out to dry for several hours between paper towels

sesame oil

1 cup salmon, large dice

1/4 cup avocado, small dice

2 Tbsp minced cucumber

1 1/2 tsp minced chives

1/2 radish, minced

small pinch micro cilantro

1/8 tsp grated ginger

Directions:

Shake together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and sambal. Add just enough water to temper the fish sauce, so it’s strong but not too strong. Let flavors meld together until ready to use.

Preheat the air fryer. Add the cooked rice to a parchment-lined air fryer tray and drizzle with sesame oil.

Fry at 400°F, checking and shaking the tray every 5 minutes. The rice should be golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes.

In a non-reactive bowl, toss together salmon, avocado, cucumber, chives, radish, cilantro, and ginger. Just before serving, stir in rice and 4 Tbsp nuoc cham. Eat immediately.

Pro tip: I like to spoon a portion into a amuse-bouche spoon for a passed app.