Crab & Avocado Salad with Japanese dressing

Now that I can find good, fresh tubs of crab meat at the supermarket I can really rely on this as a table-and-tummy filler when I don't have much time for slow, store-by-specialist-store shopping.

The quantities below provide generous amounts for four people, so this is the sort of starter that you can use to save you coming up with enormous amounts later on in the evening.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 x 15 ml tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 x 15ml tablespoon rice vinegar
• Few drops sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 long red chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 200g crab meat
• Approx. 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 150g rocket salad
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1-2 teaspoons chopped chives

Method

1. In a bowl that will take the crab meat later, whisk together the mirin, wasabi paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Then remove about 4 teaspoons to another big bowl large enough to fit your salad.
2. To the first, more generous amount of dressing, add the finely chopped chilli and then the crab meat, and fork through to mix thoroughly.
3. To the small amount of dressing in the other bowl, add the lime juice and then the salad leaves and toss well to mix, before arranging on four plates.
4. Spoon a quarter of the mixture into a metal American 1/3-cup measure, or a small ramekin, squishing down to get it all in, then unmould in the centre of a salad-lined plate.
5. Just turn over, tap and the crab meat should fall out. Repeat with the remaining crab meat and the 3 other plates.
6. Using a rounded teaspoon measure, scoop out curls or humps of avocado and dot around on top of the salady bits. Spritz with a little lime juice.
7. Sprinkle the chopped chives over the mounds of crab and take the plates to the table.

Serves: 4

Recipe posted by Nigella