Prawn And Fennel Salad With Yuzu Jam Dressing

The citrus yuzu jam creates a delicate aromatic dressing that provides a perfect counterpoint to the crunchy shaved Fennel and Apple Salad. Topped with fresh succulent prawns and salty tobiko, this is an exquisite salad!

Why I Love Prawn and Fennel Salad with Yuzu Jam Dressing

Yuzu flavours is a family favourite. Maybe it is because my kids and I are big fans of citrus lemony flavours. Lemon sorbet, lemon cake, lemonade, the list goes on.

My kids would suck on fresh lemon as a snack any day. So when I made this salad, my kids demolished it in seconds – even with the anise-like fennel!

If you love yuzu dressing just like us, try our Japanese-inspired Soba Noodle Salad.

I wanted to create a mountain of delicious crunch that can handle a lot of refreshing acidity. The sweet, citrus yuzu jam creates a delicate aromatic dressing that provides a perfect counterpoint to the crunchy shaved fennel and apple.

And with the added fresh prawns and topped with tobiko, we create an exquisite salad with spectacular red orange hues perfect for a quick lunch or a light Summer dinner shared with friends.

What is Yuzu?

Very popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine, you may have heard of yuzu. For those who haven’t, what is yuzu exactly?

Originating from China, yuzu is now mainly cultivated through Japan and Korea. A rather ugly fruit, yuzu is part of the citrus family.

It is a small round fruit like a lemon but with bumpy yellow skin. It is not the flesh we are after, it is the juice and peel that is mainly used in cooking.

Yuzu produces a distinctive acidic juice which is deliciously refreshing when used as a flavouring to yuzu recipes. And the beautiful fragrance comes from yuzu peel.

Not only popular for its aromatic tangy flavours, yuzu also has many health benefits.

Yuzu is known to have three times more Vitamin C than lemons and has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help build strong immune system and fight colds. The peel of yuzu can also develop into an ointment to help relieve chapped skin.

How To Use Yuzu In Cooking?

Yuzu is a very versatile fruit which can be used in many different yuzu recipes and works well with both seafood, meat and vegetables.

We love it in salad dressings and for sure desserts (Phenie makes a stunning yuzu cheesecake!) but it can also be used to marinade meats, create a dipping sauce like ponzu or to flavour grilled seafood.

Plus on a summer’s night, a glass of chilled yuzushu (yuzu flavoured sake) goes down very well. It is definitely a popular ingredient in Japanese salads. Adding a little yuzu juice can add oomph to the recipe.

For this prawn salad recipe, we were able to use a couple of yuzu products from Okabayashi Farm, Yuzu Jam and Yuzu Juice.

Located in the southern part of Japan, Okabayashi Farm is near the widely known Niyodo River in Kochi Prefecture which has the perfect conditions for yuzu cultivation.

Okabayashi Farm pride themselves on their dedication to providing high quality yuzu products. They grow, harvest and produce all their own yuzu products and use natural ingredients only.

Their 100% natural Yuzu Juice is their most versatile product but they also have a Yuzu Syrup which is concentrated yuzu juice often used in cakes and ice creams and also cocktails and hot teas.

What is Yuzu Jam?

Okabayashi Farm have their own Yuzu Jam which is a sweet sour concoction of yuzu peel, juice and sugar.

When I first tasted Yuzu Jam, kumquat marmalade came to mind but it is more fragrant and definitely more zesty.

The peel gives so much aroma in the jam. I had to stop myself from “testing” it because I could have easily finished the jar as is! Yuzu jam is perfect condiment for toast or cheese plus great in cakes or even try as a chicken marinade.

For this yuzu dressing, I wanted to build another layer of complexity by adding yuzu jam. The yuzu peel in the yuzu jam adds delicate texture and zesty aroma to the dressing.

Where Can I Buy Yuzu Products?

Easiest to place to visit is your local Japanese or Korean grocery stores, they will stock yuzu juice.

Some will have ready mixed ponzu sauce which is a citrus based soy sauce. Otherwise try online grocers or specialty grocers, they may stock yuzu juice.

We have also used Yuzu to make a vinaigrette for this Salmon Sashimi Salad which you may like.

How to Make Prawn and Fennel Salad with Yuzu Jam Dressing

Prepare the Prawns

Nothing more tasty than salads with prawns. I have relied on pre-cooked tiger prawns for this prawn salad recipe as I find it super easy and tasty in salads.

Cooked prawns are boiled as soon as they are caught at sea therefore retain a lot of their flavour.

I do prefer shelled prawns and then to peel when I get home. Using raw prawns in this prawn salad recipe is fine too. Whatever you can get a hold of at the time and are fresh.

I love using tiger prawns in salads as they are deliciously flavoursome. They have a firm flesh that holds well but also sweet and moist when eaten cold. The beautiful red stripes on the prawns add a great pop of happiness to the more pale fennel and apple salad.

If using shelled pre-cooked prawns, remove heads and deshell prawns. Set aside for assembly.

If you are using raw shelled prawns, bring a large saucepan of water to boil, add prawns to boiling water. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

The prawns are cooked when they float to the top of water and turn opaque in colour. Remove prawns from heat and run under cold water to stop further cooking. Set aside for assembly.

How To Prepare Salad

I love combining contrasting flavours in a salad, especially by adding fruit. The surprising pops of bold piquant flavours of fennel, rocket and radish counteracts the sweetness of crispy apple. And I love it even more when it is simple to prepare.

Wash rocket leaves and give it a shake to remove excess water.

Wash radishes well and remove any excess dirt. Slice thinly and cut into matchsticks.

Both fennel and apple oxidizes and turn brown quickly after they have been cut. It doesn’t really affect the taste so much but definitely not so appetising.

There are a few ways to keep them from turning brown. The easiest way, I find, is to add lemon juice to a bowl of cold water and have it ready when I am cutting. By placing the cut fennel and apple into the bowl straight away, it stops the oxidisation.

I normally prefer tart green apples in my salads but for this one, I used Red Delicious apples. I wanted crunch but also sweetness to act as a counterpoint for the fennel and the citrus yuzu flavours.

Slice apple into thin matchstick strips and place into a bowl of cold water. When ready to assemble, remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.

For the fennel, I prefer to use a mandolin to shave it thinly. If you don’t have a mandolin, try using a vegetable peeler or thinly slice with a sharp knife. Place shaved fennel into water to stop oxidation as well.

How to Prepare Yuzu Jam Dressing

As yuzu jam has a thicker consistency than mustard or other emulsifiers used in salad dressings, I would add each ingredient separately and ensure it is stirred in properly.

Add yuzu jam with yuzu juice and stir until combined.

Then add avocado oil and mix in with yuzu combination.

Avocado oil has a mild nutty flavour and buttery texture which works well in this yuzu jam dressing recipe. I didn’t want an oil to over power the yuzu jam. If you don’t have avocado oil, try grapeseed oil or another one that is mild in taste.

Add water and tamari to dressing and mix well. Taste and adjust flavours if needed. If you don’t find the yuzu taste strong enough, add another teaspoon of yuzu juice. The dressing should have a distinct fragrant yuzu aroma and taste.

The final consistency of the yuzu dressing is a little thicker than normal salad dressings because there is citrus peel in the yuzu jam. However, it should be fluid enough to be able to coat the salad well.

How to Assemble Prawn and Fennel Salad

Basically you want to create oodles of deliciousness with this Japanese salad. A salad when people see, they want to dig in straight away.

In a large mixing bowl, add fennel, apple, radish and rocket. Dress salad with ¾ yuzu jam dressing and toss well. I like to let the salad sit in the dressing for a couple of minutes so it fully absorbs the zesty yuzu flavours.

Tumble dressed fennel and apple salad onto your serving plate. On top of the mountain of delightfully crisp salad, place fresh prawns and then scatter tobiko to finish.

Before serving, drizzle remainder of the yuzu jam dressing over prawn salad.

Easy, refreshing and simple to prepare. The citrus yuzu dressing brings all the bold crisp salad flavours together with savoury chunks of succulent prawns and salty mouthfuls of tobiko to complete the meal.

The complex layers and amazing colours create a pretty spectacular salad that you will love.

That’s all!

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