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    Home » Recipes » Fancy Salad Recipes

    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    Published: Sep 29, 2020 · Modified: May 17, 2021 by The Devil Wears Salad

    Jump to Recipe
    Kingfish Salad with Purple Pickled Daikon
    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    This salad is not for the faint-hearted home cook. Designed to impress, this Kingfish Sashimi Salad requires sophisticated plating, a gourmet palate and use of a unique ingredient. Inspired by Japanese flavours, your guests will appreciate you all the more!

    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    Why I Love Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    I really enjoy making salads that require some effort. Techniques and ingredients which may be a bit foreign to me or if I know it’s going to take a lot of time.

    Inevitably when I do make a salad, that at a glance I know is not easy, the result has always been stupendous.

    You do have to choose the right audience and/or occasion when you make these salads.

    Some of the flavours may be too sophisticated for their palate and could get lost on them. Save these kinds of recipes for your real foodie friends.

    I love kingfish sashimi, and it is by far my favourite fish when eating in this fashion.

    The pickles mixed with the nose clearing wasabi, peppery red radish and creamy peas is a mouthful of pure joy. I was really happy with this recipe.

    I also envisioned the plating to be done individually so that I could play with how we could showcase the pickled radish and kingfish and do it justice.

    What is Sashimi Grade Fish?

    No doubt when you have visited your fishmonger you may have seen the “sashimi-grade” or “sushi-grade” tuna, salmon and kingfish.

    Sashimi-grade is not a regulated term that has strict guidelines. For many people, they believe it’s just a marketing ploy to up the prices of the very same fillet you’d get that’s not sashimi-grade.

    The only useful result of naming a fish sashimi-grade is that it is safe to consume raw.

    I am a sashimi or sushi-grade fish consumer. When I am preparing sashimi fish to be eaten at home, I understand this term to mean it is the freshest fish available, it is safe, and it has been handled in a way that meets all food safety standards.

    I also like to purchase this grade of fish because it means that I don’t have to prepare it in any way and all I have to do is slice it. I don’t want to have to use tweezers to pin-bone the fish, nor do I want to worry about removing any excess fat or bloodlines.

    I purchase my raw fish from a Japanese grocer. It is costly, but it is the best quality sashimi I can find with zero preparation and zero wastage.

    When I’m not entertaining, I will sometimes get my sashimi-grade tuna or salmon from my local fishmonger for our mid-week dinners; like our poke bowls.

    Fresh kingfish fillet and sashimi

    What is Organic Butterfly Pea Flower?

    In the absence of purple radish at the markets, I decided that I would make my own. I also wanted a more consistent colour throughout the whole vegetable so “dyeing” it with organic butterfly pea flower was such a fun technique.

    Organic butterfly pea flowers have been around for quite some time. It is a flowering plant grown in Southeast Asia.

    It is perhaps most well known as a tea in all its indigo glory. The gorgeous infused colours have been used as a natural colouring of all sorts of foods, and in the most recent times, blue coloured bread is all the rage!

    As the organic dried version can start to get costly, a powdered version can now be purchased. Much easier to control if you’re expecting consistency, albeit still on the expensive side. But the colours are stunning and so much fun!

    The popularity of organic butterfly pea flower stems back centuries as it has been part of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

    Butterfly pea tea benefits include having a calming agent to assist with stress, is a memory enhancer and a real brain booster.

    How to Make Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    How To Make Purple Radish

    For this exercise, we are going to cut the white radish 3 ways to give us different textures for the salad.

    So, to begin, let’s peel all the white radish. Aim to buy the smaller ones as we don’t want too much leftover.

    White radish

    For the 1st white radish, using a mandoline, slice thinly to get nice, round pieces.

    For the 2nd white radish, cut into thick slices about 10-15cm thick. Using a range of small cookie cutters, cut out cylinders of varying sizes. This will give the salad some height.

    White radish cut out in shapes and shaved

    For the 3rd white radish, use a wide peeler and shave into wide strips.

    In a small mixing bowl, add lukewarm water to the dried organic butterfly pea flowers. Let it sit for 45 minutes.

    In a large mixing bowl, mix together white vinegar, sugar and salt. After 45 minutes, add the now dark blue water of flowers to the pickling mixture.

    Add all the white radish into the pickling water with the butterfly pea flowers and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

    You’ll find that despite the water being a deep indigo blue, the white radish will turn out purple. This is because of the reaction with the vinegar.

    Making butter pea flower pickle for white radish

    The next day, remove all the pickled white radish from the fridge. Give them all a rinse to get rid of the dried flowers sticking to the radish.

    Pat dry and set aside.

    How To Make The Salad

    In a small saucepan, bring water to the boil. Blanch peas for 2 minutes. Remove and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.

    Using a knife or mandoline, slice red radishes thinly.

    Red radish and fresh peas

    Cut the kingfish fillets into 16-20 thin to medium slices.

    How to Make Wasabi Mayonnaise

    In a small mixing bowl, add 6 tbsp of Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.

    Using a small sieve, sieve 1 tsp of wasabi powder onto the mayonnaise so that no clumps will form.

    Mix until well combined.

    How To Assemble The Salad

    This is an individually plated salad which you can serve as an entrée salad or side dish to your main course. The instructions below are for 1 plate. Repeat this 4 times:

    On each plate, add 1 ½ tbsp of wasabi mayonnaise in the middle of the plate. Using the back of a regular spoon smear some upwards in an ‘S’ motion and some downwards in the same motion.

    Put 4 slices of pickled radish of varying sizes on the sides of the mayonnaise.

    How to plate Kingfish Sashimi Salad Step 1 of 2

    Add 2-3 slices of red radish next to some of the pickled radish.

    Place 4-5 slices of kingfish sashimi in a herringbone fashion.

    Roll up 4 shaved slices of pickled radish and place anywhere near the kingfish sashimi.

    Strips of purple daikon ready to be rolled

    Add 4-cylinder chunks of pickled radish anywhere around the salad.

    Sprinkle some peas and micro herbs leaves around the part of the plate that is empty.

    Season with some cracked pepper.

    Serve.

    How to plate Kingfish Sashimi Salad Step 2 of 2

    Do you think your dinner guests will be rapt if you served them this salad as a starter?

    Mine indeed were, and I would not hesitate to make it again. It brought so much joy watching them all finish off a salad in 3 minutes when it took me 24 hours to prepare! LOL!

    That’s all!

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    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

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    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish
    Print Recipe
    5 from 35 votes

    Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish

    This salad is not for the faint-hearted home cook. Designed to impress, this Kingfish Sashimi Salad requires sophisticated plating, a gourmet palate and use of a unique ingredient. Inspired by Japanese flavours, your guests will appreciate you all the more!
    Prep Time1 hr
    Pickling Time1 d
    Total Time1 d
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Asian
    Dietary: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Pescatarian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 356kcal
    Author: Amy Chung

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 3 white radish, small
    • 1 cup water, lukewarm
    • ⅓ cup butterfly pea flower, dried
    • 3 cups white vinegar
    • ½ cup sugar
    • ¼ cup salt
    • 4 tbsp peas
    • 2 radish, red
    • 320 g kingfish, fillet
    • 10 g micro herb, purple
    • pepper, to taste

    Salad Dressing

    • 6 tbsp mayonnaise, Japanese Kewpie
    • 1 tsp wasabi, powder

    Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.

    Instructions

    Pickling White Radish

    • Peel all the white radish.
    • For the 1st white radish, using a mandoline, slice thinly.
    • For the 2nd white radish, cut into thick slices about 10-15 cm thick. Using a range of small cookie cutters, cut out cylinders of varying sizes.
    • For the 3rd white radish, use a wide peeler and shave into wide strips.
    • In a small mixing bowl, add lukewarm water to the dried organic butterfly pea flowers. Let it sit for 45 minutes.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix together white vinegar, sugar and salt. After 45 minutes, add the now dark blue water of flowers to the pickling mixture.
    • Add all the white radish into the pickling water with the butterfly pea flowers and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
    • The next day, remove all the pickled white radish from the fridge. Give them all a rinse to get rid of the dried flowers sticking to the radish.
    • Pat dry and set aside.

    Salad

    • In a small saucepan, bring water to the boil. Blanch peas for 2 minutes. Remove and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.
    • Using a knife or mandoline, slice red radishes thinly.
    • Cut the kingfish fillets into 16-20 thin to medium slices.

    Salad Dressing

    • In a small mixing bowl, add 6 tbsp of Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.
    • Using a small sieve, sieve 1 tsp of wasabi powder onto the mayonnaise so that no clumps will form.
    • Mix until well combined.

    Assembly

    • This is an individually plated salad which you can serve as an entrée salad or side dish to your main course. The instructions below are for 1 plate. Repeat this 4 times:
    • On each plate, add 1 ½ tbsp of wasabi mayonnaise in the middle of the plate. Using the back of a regular spoon smear some upwards in an ‘S’ motion and some downwards in the same motion.
    • Add 4 slices of pickled radish of varying sizes on the sides of the mayonnaise.
    • Add 2-3 slices of red radish next to some of the pickled radish.
    • Add 4-5 slices of kingfish sashimi in a herringbone fashion.
    • Roll up 4 shaved slices of pickled radish and place anywhere near the kingfish sashimi.
    • Add 4-cylinder chunks of pickled radish anywhere around the salad.
    • Sprinkle some peas and micro herbs leaves around the part of the plate that is empty.
    • Season with some cracked pepper.
    • Serve.

    Notes

    • The freshness of the fish is imperative for this salad. Purchase quality fish specifically for sashimi so that slicing is much easier. You can even purchase kingfish sashimi all ready to go if you don’t want to worry about cutting it yourself.
    • You can use butterfly pea flower powder for this process. Please note that although the water is blue, by adding vinegar to the process, it makes the white radish purple.
    • You can purchase Kewpie mayonnaise in the Japanese/Asian aisle of your supermarket. You may also see that they have a wasabi mayonnaise version. However, I still prefer adding good quality wasabi powder to the process.
    • Wasabi powder usually comes in a small tin which you can also find Japanese/Asian aisle of your supermarket.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 7323mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1876IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg

    *Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.

    Tried this recipe? We’d Love To See It!Mention @thedevilwearssalad or tag #thedevilwearssalad!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jamie

      October 05, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      This salad is just as delicious as it is beautiful! It looked like it was from a fancy restaurant but I made it at home thanks to your easy step by step photos. Your details on sashimi grade fish was super helpful. Thanks for such a delicious recipe.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 13, 2020 at 1:43 pm

        That’s awesome that the recipe worked out for you! Yup, sashimi grade fish all the way!

        Reply
    2. Marisa F. Stewart

      October 05, 2020 at 4:53 am

      5 stars
      A salad that is a work of art — that is exactly what I need. The colors of the ingredients just beg to be sampled. This is definitely a salad I want to make for a special occasion and Ii have just the thing. My daughter and family will be visiting and they all love kingfish. Now to find the main ingredient.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 13, 2020 at 1:43 pm

        Oh that’s great! If they love kingfish you should definitely give this recipe a try. Do you have a good fish monger you can go to?

        Reply
    3. Anna

      October 04, 2020 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, I just love everything about this salad! It looks so neat and so elegant, not to mention that it must taste so delicious too! The way you have plated this dish looks so professional and much better than in many restaurants I’ve eaten in!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 13, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        Aww thanks Anna! That’s such a lovely compliment!

        Reply
    4. Marta

      October 02, 2020 at 10:50 am

      5 stars
      I’d been missing our go-to sushi place, so I decided to give this recipe a go. It was BETTER than our spot. Thanks so much for another hit recipe.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:24 pm

        What AWEOMSE feedback Marta! Thank you so much:)

        Reply
    5. Shelley

      October 02, 2020 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      Wow! Just wow. Absolutely, unbelievably gorgeous! So impressive for a dinner party, especially plated as beautifully as you show. Thanks for the terrific tips all along the way, so that I actually feel like I can reproduce this masterpiece myself!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:23 pm

        That’s great Shelley and I hope you’ll give it a go one day!

        Reply
    6. Paula Montenegro

      October 02, 2020 at 4:28 am

      5 stars
      Pretty, delicious, healthy, I think this salad has it all. Besides the right type of fish, I love those pickled radishes! And can’t wait to try them on so many things. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:23 pm

        Yes! The pickled radish can definitely be used in a range of recipes. This salad is healthy and packed with flavour!

        Reply
    7. Jenny

      October 01, 2020 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      This is the most beautiful salad I have ever seen. It’s a piece of art. I bet it tastes incredible. And I love the name of your blog! Your work is just fantastic, I am so impressed. Thank you for sharing it with us.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:21 pm

        Thank you Jenny! What lovely words. We love our name too…… a little cheeky and a little bit fun!

        Reply
    8. Colleen

      September 30, 2020 at 6:27 am

      5 stars
      No, definitely not for the faint of heart. But yes, definitely impressive. Gorgeous dish!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:20 pm

        Good to give it a go one day though!

        Reply
    9. Leslie

      September 30, 2020 at 5:09 am

      5 stars
      I don’t know if I have ever seen a recipe as beautiful as this! This is just stunning!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:20 pm

        Awww… thank you! Made our day!

        Reply
    10. FOODHEAL

      September 29, 2020 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      Oh those colors! so gorgeous and I can imagine how delicious this salad should be.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        Thank you! Must say we do love the colours too!

        Reply
    11. veenaazmanov

      September 29, 2020 at 11:40 am

      5 stars
      Such a colorful and awesome platter. Presentation Picture Perfect. Fish is my all time healthy option too.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        October 12, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        Absolutely you’re right! Fish is a healthy option and we love our kingfish raw.

        Reply

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