Ginger Rice Cakes with Salmon Crudo

From issue #7.
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Ginger Rice Cakes with Salmon Crudo

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

½ cup long grain rice
1 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ teaspoon sambal oelek
1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger
¼ cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon salt
canola oil for cooking

Salmon Crudo
300 grams salmon fillet
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
finely sliced basil to garnish
black pepper

METHOD

Rice: Prepare the rice the day before you wish to serve these cakes. Wash the rice well in cold water and drain. Place in a small saucepan with the water and salt and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid. Allow to sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a bowl to cool.
Combine the egg, sambel oelek and ginger. Mix into the rice then stir in the flour and salt. Tip the rice onto a piece of baking paper and spread to a ¾ cm thickness. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Salmon: Remove the pin bones and use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the salmon. Place in a wide, shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate until required. Combine the orange and lime juice with the olive oil and sesame seeds.

To serve: Heat a non-stick sauté pan with a little oil. Cut off pieces of rice cake about 8 cm wide and slide them into the pan. Cook until golden, 2-3 minutes each side. Drain on a paper towel then
keep warm in a low oven. Gently mix the dressing through the salmon.

Allow to sit for 2 minutes then place a small stack of salmon on each rice cake. Garnish with basil and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 6

Sambal Oelek: a simple prepared paste of chillis, vinegar, salt and sometimes sugar, used in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines. Available in Asian food stores