Colm O'Gorman: Say hello to zingy, spicy Suka Pinakarut with this salmon rice bowl

You will find Suka Pinakarut in most good Asian supermarkets.

I have a lovely new ingredient to introduce you to this week. 

Suka Pinakarut is a Filipino condiment; a fermented vinegar made from coconut sap, spiced with garlic, ginger, dried chilies and other aromatic spices. 

It is widely used in Filipino food, often to flavour roast or fried meats such as chicken or suckling pigs. In this recipe though I use it to cure fresh salmon, ceviche style. It works beautifully. 

The acidity and spiciness of the Pinakarut balance beautifully with the creamy, rich, fatty flavour of fresh salmon, which is then paired with sticky sushi rice, fresh sweet red pepper and crisp, tangy pickled daikon.

This dish draws upon many cuisines. Latin American ceviche, Japanese sushi, Korean pickle, all marry together beautifully to create a dish that is fresh and delicious, and very, very healthy to boot!

You will find Suka Pinakarut in most good Asian supermarkets, where you will also find fresh daikon. Daikon is a species of radish, eaten widely in South and East Asia. 

It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour, and a beautiful fresh, crisp texture. It can also be sourced from Polish Supermarkets; my local Polonez store always has it in stock.

The pickled daikon is an important element of this dish, and it is very easy and quick to prepare. Store any leftover pickle in a clean jar in your fridge where it will be good for at least three to four weeks.

Suka Pinakarut Salmon Rice Bowl with Pickled Daikon

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This dish draws upon many cuisines. Latin American ceviche, Japanese sushi, Korean pickle, all marry together beautifully to create a dish that is fresh and delicious, and very, very healthy to boot!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 300g sushi rice

• 400g skinless salmon fillet

• 1 ear fresh corn on the cob

• 100 ml Suka Pinakurat (spiced coconut vinegar)

• 1 ½ tsp coconut or brown sugar

• Zest of a lime

• 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 plump of clove garlic

• 1 sweet red pepper

• 3 spring onions

• Handful fresh coriander

• 2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds

• Pickled Daikon:

• 1 fresh daikon

• 250ml rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

• 250g water

• 75g caster sugar

• ½ tsp flaky sea salt

Method

1. Begin by preparing the pickling liquid for the daikon. Heat 250 ml of rice vinegar or white wine vinegar and 250 ml of water in a small saucepan. Add 75g of caster sugar and half a teaspoon of flaky sea salt and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.

2. Peel and thinly slice the daikon. Some recipes for pickled daikon favour cutting the vegetable into thin strips, julienne style, but I prefer the bite and texture I get from thin discs of daikon. It also looks nicer in my view. If you have one, use a Japanese mandolin to slice the daikon into 2-3mm thick discs. The mandolin will make quick work of this but do mind your fingers! You can of course also cut the daikon using a knife if you do not have a mandolin.

3. Add the sliced daikon to the pickling liquid and set aside while you get on with the rest of the dish.

4. Wash the ear of corn and stand it on one end in a wide bowl. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut down one side to remove the kernels, and then repeat around the cob until you have removed all the corn. Heat a heavy non-stick pan over a high heat and when it is good and hot, add the corn. Dry fry the corn, tossing it occasionally until it is just cooked through and has a little char but retains some bite. This will only take a few minutes. When it is done, remove it from the pan and set to one side.

5. Put the sushi rice into a pan with 450ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, reduce to a very low simmer, cover with a lid and cook for nine minutes. Turn off the heat after nine minutes or once the water has been absorbed and leave the rice to sit in the pan with the lid on for another ten minutes. Do not stir the rice, just let it sit undisturbed. You will fluff the rice with a fork just before you serve.

6. Peel and grate the garlic. Whisk together the Suka Pinakarut, coconut or brown sugar, lime zest, grated garlic and sesame oil in a ceramic, glass or stainless-steel bowl. These are ‘non-reactive’ materials, perfect for preparing acidic foods and liquid. Reactive materials such as aluminium or copper can taint the flavour of acidic foods and should be avoided.

7. Cut the salmon into roughly one-to-two-centimetre sized chunks. Pop the fish into a large glass, ceramic or stainless bowl and add the spiced vinegar mixture. Let the salmon cure in the mixture for fifteen minutes.

8. Deseed and dice the red pepper into small pieces, a bit less than one centimetre is perfect.

9. Once the salmon has been cured, add the corn, stir that in and you are ready to plate up.

10. Fluff up the sushi rice with a fork and divide it across four warm bowls, then add the salmon. Next, add the chopped red pepper and some of the pickled daikon.

11. Sprinkle the chopped spring onion and a little chopped coriander over the top to finish, scatter with some toasted sesame seeds and serve your rice bowls with more of the pickled daikon on the side.