5 shiitake-mushroom caps, cut into strips
1/2 cup sliced smoked salmon
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and sliced into half moons (I used a non-English cucumber - I forget which type)
3 tbsp pickled ginger, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 sheet nori seaweed
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
***
Well, here is the Chatelaine recipe, Part Deux.
If I had to describe this salad in as few words as possible, while still maintaining it's "character" I would say: "Virgin Sushi Salad". Those three words is all it takes.
"Virgin": because it's close to raw fish, but not really, and the barley is a proxy to the rice
"Sushi": because it's still fish and there's the pickled ginger you will find accompanying said sushi.
"Salad": because it is indeed a salad.
In fact, I might even suggest this dish to someone who hasn't had the pleasure of tantalizing their palate with sushi before - a good "Virgin Sushi" dish... Like for that uncultured friend/relative of yours who has trouble trying something new. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I spent quite some time at my not-so-local Asian market to find the ingredients. My suggestion - find the Japanese section, and you'll find most of the necessary reagents there and not have to waste your time wading through the other sections.
In terms or preparation, this bad boy only takes about 30 minutes, most of which is spent waiting for the barley to cook.
Taste was pretty fresh. Not too overpowering, but I do like the combo between the pickled ginger and sesame oil/rice vinegar. It just reminds me of sushi.
Evidence:
It doesn't look fancy. I really should have spent more time separating the salmon, but, proper food presentation is a harsh mistress. I have yet to learn all she has to teach... Additionally, maybe a bit more barley to salmon/ginger ratio would be suggested too.
Overall, a solid if unspectacular grade of 7.6 out of 10.
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