RAINBOW SALAD

 This simple concept wins my vote hands down. You might know that I’m not a salad person, but I absolutely adore the fresh flavors that come with Japanese and Vietnamese recipes. Although this dish is traditionally Hawaiian, the ingredients are astonishingly similar to Japanese sushi and Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls. Popular toppings are tuna, salmon and octopus, but vegetarian options also include tofu and kimchi. New world twists include substitutions like quinoa or freekeh for the base, with tomato, beans, sriracha and mayo on top.
This is my first attempt at a poke bowl. I call it “rainbow” because the colors are just too beautiful: coral colored salmon, pale green avo, pink pickled ginger, purple cabbage and bright orange carrot. My base is basmati rice, although sushi rice will work even better. I mixed finely sliced blackish nori sheets and some rice vinegar into my cooked rice for some added zing and lots of umami.
 This dish is stunning in every sense: visually beautiful, delightfully textural and a taste explosion. It is a fantastic choice for a packed lunch or an outdoor picnic. I look forward to exploring many more combinations this year.

 Ingredients Serves 4:1 - 1/2 cups Rice (sushi, jasmine or Basmati)15 ml Rice vinegar 1 to 2 cups Finely sliced, dried seaweed/nori sheets About 320 to 400g fresh salmon, skinless and boneless, sliced/cubed 1 Large avocado, sliced/cubed 1 cup Shredded purple cabbage 1 cup Shredded carrot 1 cup Mango, peeled & diced 1 Bunch spring onion, finely sliced 4 Tbsp Pickled ginger, sliced A handful sprouts A handful fresh coriander, chopped (optional)A sprinkle of sesame seeds Soy sauce, for dressing Method Cook your rice according to the package, using salted water. When cooked and drained, add the vinegar and sliced nori and stir well.Fill your bowls half-full with the hot rice mixture. Top with salmon, avo, cabbage, carrot, mango, spring onion, sprouts and coriander in neat sections. Sprinkle the salmon with sesame seeds, then add soy sauce to taste. And Enjoy it.
love
sujana.