Sesame Salmon with spicy carrot & buckwheat noodle salad

Spring to me is that moment when the sun is shining, but there is still a nip in the air. You want to start eating lighter dishes, but are not quite ready for salads. This straddles that in between craving with a warming spicy dressing yet lots of fresh raw elements to add crunch and flavour.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the salmon
2 x 125g salmon
1 tsp black sesame seeds
½ cm ginger, grated
1 clove of garlic, crushed
juice of ½ lime
1 tbsp olive oil

For the salad
2 carrots, peeled
6 radishes, finely sliced
50g rocket
50g buckwheat noodles (I like King Soba)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
10g Thai basil, leaves only

For the dressing
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded
1 tbsp ponzu
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
juice of ½ lime

Method
Marinate the fish by mixing together everything except the black sesame seeds.

Prepare the buckwheat noodles by boiling according to the instructions. Drain and wash in cold water so they do not stick together.

Spiralise the carrots using a spiraliser. If you don’t have one, shave the carrot into peelings using a peeler.

Prepare the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a small food processor.

Mix together all the salad ingredients in a bowl and split between 2 plates.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and pan fry the salmon for about 2-3 minutes on one side before turning over. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds onto the cooked side.

Arrange the cooked salmon on the noodle salad and drizzle over the dressing.

Recipe and photography from Toral Shah’s The Urban Kitchen, theurbankitchen.co.uk