Delicious Mouth Numbing Beef

Recently on my travels I ate at a very authentic Szechuan restaurant. Typically, the Szechuan peppers brought their "ma lah" (numbing spiciness), to the forefront. This type of spiciness is rather different from the burning spice of hot chillis. I think the Szechuan peppers leave a nutmeg-like aftertaste. It is not everybody's idea of tasty but I like it. You need to try it and decide if you like it. It is an acquired taste as I was not too sure about the feeling after my first try.

​Inspired from this meal I had, I have decided to add some of this "ma lah" to my stir fried beef. By using sweet onion, and Worcestershire sauce, the dish has a lovely dance of naturally sweet, sour and tanginess. Every mouthful is bursting with delicious flavours.

To make: for 2

250g skirt steak*                                                      1 sweet onion 
                                                                                         1 stalk spring onion
Marinade ingredients:                                           1/2 in ginger                                     
1/2 Tbs soya sauce                                                  2 tsp Szechuan pepper
1 Tbs Shaoxing wine                                               2 bird's eye chillis
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce                               1 1/2 Tbs oil
1 tsp cornstarch                                                       1 tsp sesame oil
pinch of sugar                                                            salt

Slice the beef into 1/4 in strips.
Marinate the beef with the 5 marinade ingredients. Set aside for at least 10mins but not more than 30mins.
Peel and cut the onion into 1/2, then crosswise into thin strips.
Cut the white part of the spring onion  into rings.
Sliver the green part of the spring onion for garnish. Place in a bowl of cold water and set aside.
Peel and mince the ginger.
Slit the bird's eye chillis.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the Szechan peppers till fragrant.(2 mins). Be careful not to let it burn.
​Add the onion and stir fry over medium high heat till just turning translucent.(5 mins).
Add the ginger, spring onion and chillis. Fry till fragrant and the chillis get soft. (3 mins)
Crank heat up again. Add the beef. Mix in well and fry for just 2 minutes till the beef is just done.
Add a splash of water if the dish is too dry. Adjust seasoning with salt and soya sauce to taste.
Garnish with the green part of the spring onion slivers.
​Enjoy!

Note: Times are just approximate. It all depends on the size, texture of your produce.

Tip: marinade works as a tenderiser but you don't want to leave it too long as it breaks up the fibres of the meat and changes the texture. But you DO want to marinade to inculcate flavour.

* or any steak of your choice.

                  the ingredients                                               all prepped                                           the marinade

     Szechuan pepper corns in oil                         add onions                                          just turning translucent

       add the other aromatics                              fry till fragrant                                              add the beef

                                                                             short fry till just tender

I love octopus in all forms, size and methods of preparation. I know that to many people, preparing octopus from scratch can be intimidating or it may be difficult to get raw octopus. To enjoy octopus which is just tender to the bite, it needs to be cooked for just a very short time or for a much longer time. Usually between 40 mins to 80 mins depending on the size of the octopus and whether it has been cut to smaller pieces. Anything in between turns the octopus chewy, rubbery and unpalatable.https://www.2feet3continents.com/blog/octopuspulpokrake

I enjoy picking out my raw octopus from the fishmonger and to prepare it myself. At times I just prepare the octopus and freeze them for later use. Once I have tenderised the octopus with long cooking, turning them into any dish is just so quick and easy.

Recently, I found sliced ready to eat octopus tentacles which have been pre-poached. I usually defrost this and quickly blanch it in hot water and toss into a salad. But I wanted to do more with these frozen octopus slices. Since longer cooking actually makes the octopus toothsome, I decided on a octopus ragu in tomato sauce. 

The sauce turned out superb and was very quick and easy to make as most of the ingredients were basic pantry ingredients. I am glad to have found such an easy and tasty use for frozen sliced octopus tentacles.

To make: for 2
200g frozen octopus pieces              ​      1 400g can chopped tomatoes                  a splash or two of red wine
2 cloves garlic                                                2 Tbs olive oil                                                              (optional)
2 shallots                                                          pinch of sugar
1 red chilli                                                       1 Tbs dried parsley

Peel and chop the shallots.
Peel and mince the garlic.
Slit the chilli.
Heat the olive oil in a pot.
Add the shallots and fry over medium high heat till glassy.
Add the minced garlic and the chilli and give a quick stir.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, dried parsley, and octopus and bring to a boil.
​Add the wine, if using. Stir in well.
Lower heat and simmer for about 40 mins till the octopus has reached the desired tenderness.
Taste and season with salt.
Toss with cooked pasta of your choice and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

             the ingredients                                           aromatics                                           simmer for about 40 mins

                                                                         beets fresh from the garden

Few things can compare with the pride and joy of harvesting what you have planted yourself, then preparing it and eating it with family and friends. You can be sure that it is the freshest and purest food you can put on your table.

I have been gardening for a long time and have often incorporated some fruit, herbs and vegetables in the flower beds because they look pretty but, growing vegetables for my dinner table is something new to me. I must admit that I started with trepidation (I'm the type that wants every thing to turn out perfect from the word "go"!), did a lot of reading and research before I plunged in. A gift of a beautiful raised bed was the biggest encouragement I needed. So I took the plunge and got my seedlings.

The daily visit to my vegetable garden is delightful. The peering between the leaves to see how the beetroot were growing is my adrenaline shot. (yes beetroot grows above the ground). Look at the photos and you can see that the tap roots grow below the soil and the bulbous part is above the soil. When the beetroots reached a golfball size, it was time for harvesting them. I was so excited and thrilled beyond compare. 

Fresh beetroot is absolutely delicious and very nutritious. It is a great source of protein and valuable vitamins.In fact a workhorse for promoting good health. As a child, I only knew the pickled ones that came in glass jars; and noticed that they were frequently served in hospitals. I was told that they are a great source for building red blood corpuscles. Later I tried fresh beetroot from the farmer's market and was surprised at how different they tasted. I loved the earthy, natural sweetness of fresh beet. preparing fresh beetroot at home, I could also control the texture of whether I preferred them crunchy or tender. The beet greens are  delicious and absolutely nutritious too. There was no going back. 

Beetroot was one of the first plants to go into my raised bed and I am sure glad I did.  I wanted the beet greens as much as the beetroot. (Here in Germany, they are seldom sold with the greens). 

A simple way to enjoy beetroot, other than raw or juice,  is to steam or roast them whole. I like them either way. This time, I wanted to eat both the beetroot and greens together and came up with the following delicious dish of roasted beets with sauteed greens, topped with pine nuts and feta. Delicious on its own or as a side. So yummy, I am going to make this again this weekend.

                                                            perfect 'golf ball' size to be still tender

​To Make: for 2 as a side dish
3  to 4 red beets                                olive oil                                      salt                                                  honey(optional)
2 Tbs pine nuts                                  water                                          pepper
2 garlic cloves                                    100g feta                                  chilli flakes(optional)

Wash the beets thoroughly.
Twist the beet greens off at where they connect with the red beet. Cut into 6 in length.
Wrap the beets in foil individually and roast at 180C for an hour till they are still al dente or just tender to the touch.
Let cool.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts carefully in a dry pan. Stir and toss around the pan. Be careful not to burn them . Set aside.
Mince the garlic.
When cool enough to handle, remove skin and cut into bite sized pieces.
Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic  and some chilli flakes over medium heat till fragrant.
Add the stems and fry for about 5mins. Add the leaves and fry till tender. About mins 10 mins.
(depending on how young your leaves are. Test in between).
Add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.
When the greens are tender, turn off the heat. Toss in the beet, and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. 
Serve with crumbled feta.
​Enjoy!

Tip:
Drizzle a little honey over the dish to increase the flavour profile. You get an earthy, savoury and sweet with tangy from the feta Yum!

Note: red beet juice can cause staining. Use gloves or some protection to cover your hands and chopping board while cutting it.

    greens twisted off the beets                      the beet greens                                   the other ingredients

           taproot removed                                    cut into 6in lengths                                 pine nuts in dry pan

         toast till golden brown                        add   stems first                                                 add leaves

                  cook till tender                               wrap beets individually                            roasted for and hour

                add water if dry                                 protect hand to peel                                cut into bite size

                   add to greens                                             add feta                                            top with toasted pine nuts

                                                                           the yield from our truffle hunt

 

​I adore truffles and can eat them on anything or in anything! Although I have loved truffles from the very first whiff and taste, I have never been on a truffle hunt. Of course I have read about how it is done and seen on television how dogs or pigs are used for truffle hunting. Nothing beats the excitement of going into the forest with a guide and a truffle hunting dog! There is an excitement and a sense of expectation in the air. Even the muddy grounds from the rains of the previous night  could not dampen our enthusiasm.

Whoever came of the idea to taste truffle must have been very adventurous and curious; but I sure am glad that he/she did! This precious fungus, found in the ground at the base of certain types of trees is certainly not much to look at. It resembles a lump of earth when first dug out. The fact that we cannot see nor smell this elusive, but oh so delightful delicacy, until it is dug out from its underground habitat makes it even more mysterious. Honestly, I think that if my pig or dog dug out a lump of earthy root and started chomping on it, I would just leave the animal to it. At most, I'll remove the article but will most likely not take a bite out of it. But, since truffles have been discovered and became a precious commodity in the 17th century, it has maintained its revered status at the dining table and in the chef's kitchen, not to mention its high price.

On this truffle hunting trip in the Tuscany, our truffle hunt guides and dog handler, used an adorable 8 month old, Lagotto Romagnolo. This breed is a water dog, or water retriever, traditionally a gun dog, but is often used for truffle hunting nowadays. They are very trainable and have a great sense of smell. Riccardo, our truffle hunting puppy proved himself many times over. Though young and not fully trained yet, his promising attitude and great sense of smell made him a star!

From the greeting at the brink of the forest and all through the hunt, Riccardo was friendly, reliable and focused. He certainly had fun. There were a couple of moments when he was most tempted to gobble the precious find but yielded obediently when commanded by his handler to do so. One can see the rapport between master and hound. There was much mutual affection and respect. Riccardo was praised profusely and rewarded with snacks on each triumphant find. As soon as he received and devoured his treat, Riccardo was off again to the next spot where another truffle would be found.

Due to the days of rain preceding our planned truffle hunt, the ground was rather muddy and precarious but nothing  was going to prevent us from proceeding. Our group of 12  were given bright blue shower cap-like footwear covers to keep our footwear clean. Then begun our exciting trip into the forest with Riccardo rushing ahead, his tail wagging furiously. Within seconds, Riccardo was digging crazily with his snout in the ground and his back in the air, wriggling his backside with energetic enthusiasm. The handler moved swiftly with his stick to dig out the truffle and retrieve it before the dog had a chance to gobble it up. Finding the first lump of earth covered truffle was such a thrill but only because I knew what it was. Otherwise, looking at the small lump of soil would definitely be puzzling. ( At this juncture, I need to briefly share a true incident which never fails to bring a gasp to anyone hearing it. Our neighbour, a professional photographer, bought a good sized truffle which he photographed for a food magazine, then popped into the refrigerator for later consumption. Imagine his horror when he went to retrieve the precious lump in anticipation of a delicious perfumed meal, to discover that his wife had thrown it away! She thought that it was some shriveled old thing in the refrigerator.)

Riccardo, outdid himself again and again. ​Our half a morning hunt yielded about 500g of this precious ingredient. We were thrilled by our hunt and looked forward to tasting the truffles. 

We separated from our truffle hunt dog handler and the precious Riccardo, We drove with anticipation to our lunch venue where a truffle meal would be prepared for us. Following our  guides, we stopped on a hill top at their family farm where they cultivated olive trees, vine and produce.  The rose lined path led us to a glass house with unobstructed views of the undulating countryside covered in olive groves and neat rows of vine. Never in my mind's eye did I imagine eating in such beautiful surroundings and from such freshly made food. The olive oil and wine came from the soil on which we were standing. The produce were pick just after dawn, with the dew drops still glistening on them. THIS is my paradise on earth. From the fields and the toils of the land, directly into the pots and onto my table. Food cannot get any fresher than this.

And if the beauty and the joy of truffle hunting could be topped, it was certainly  topped by being spoiled by a professional chef making absolutely fresh and delicious local specialties and delicate truffle dishes for us to enjoy, accompanied by the superb wines from the vineyard and in delightful, much loved company.

Definitely a wonderful treat to be savoured and to be etched in the heart. A wonderful day, making new and pleasurable experiences shared with loved ones. Indelible.

Photo credits : Lawrence Lew

                   the dog handler with Riccardo                                                           a treat for Riccardo

                      the menu                                     fresh pumpkin flowers                    fried pumpkin flowers and sage

    pumpkin soup with truffles               scrambled eggs with truffles                  crostini with fresh porcini                                                                                                                                                                              and truffles ​                     

                                                                  excellent wines from the vineyard

To-mah-toes, to-may-toes; whichever way you say it, in any form and colour, red, yellow, green, purple pink or even blue! is a joy to the eyes and a treat to the palate. Its natural acidity brings a brightness to any dish. It is such a versatile fruit/vegetable and comes in all shapes and sizes, making it suitable for a snack to pop into your mouth and taste the juicy sweetness ooze onto your tongue or it can be made into sauces, baked, stuffed, fried and more. Any which way you enjoy this wonder fruit, it is always delightful. can you imagine life without tomato sauce or ketchup?

Soon the summer season will be upon us and this most delightful and delicious, not to mention healthy and nutritious food will be abundant in the market in all its forms and colours. I managed to get a head start on these amazing fruit/vegetable while on a trip to Italy this May. (Of course I could not resist a trip to the local markets whilst there). A stroll through the tomato stands are enough to make one swoon. The many varieties, all vine ripened gave out a heady smell of sweet tomato-ey goodness. From the various tomatoes we bought, I carried two precious tomatoes home to Germany with me. I love to extend my holiday pleasures with food brought home. I brought back two ribbed Ligurian beef tomatoes also known as oxen heart tomatoes. In fact I was so impressed by them that I have also planted one of these tomato plants in a pot, in my vegetable garden. Can't wait to see how well they will grow in the North German climate.

With one of the tomatoes, I made a pasta, inspired by the simple ingredients used by native Italians. It is a raw tomato sauce and was very refreshing and highlighted the sweet juiciness of the tomato.
With the second tomato, I made a delicious bright tomato salad with fresh thyme, capers and anchovies. A lovely combination of sweet, savoury with a touch of acidity.


To Make:  Pasta with raw tomato sauce for 2
​
One  large tomato                        1.5 Tbs capers                                   salt
200g pasta                                       1 Tbs evoo
1 garlic clove                                   freshly ground pepper

Chop the tomato into cubes.
Mince the garlic.
Place in a bowl large enough to toss your pasta in.
Add the evoo, capers, salt and pepper to taste. (Bear in mind that the capers are salty).
Marinate the tomatoes for at least 10 mins. Better for 30mins.
Cook the pasta till al  dente as per instructions.
Drain the pasta and toss with the marinated tomatoes. Adjust seasoning.
Enjoy!
​

            the ingredients                                     gorgeous red tomato                        add capers to chopped tomato

add the rest of the ingredients            toss well and adjust seasoning                         enjoy!



To Make: a simple tomato salad for 2

​1 large tomato                                       1 Tbs evoo
a fistful of fresh thyme                       salt
1 Tbs capers                                            freshly ground pepper
2 anchovies

Chop the tomato into small cubes. Place in a bowl.
Strip the thyme and add the leaves to the tomato.
Mince the anchovies.
Add the anchovies and capers to the tomato.
Stir in the evoo. 
Add freshly ground pepper and salt if at all to taste. (both the capers and anchovies are salty!).
Let stand for about 10 mins.
​Enjoy!

                                         the ingredients                                       add thyme to tomato               let stand for 10 mins

As Summer approaches, I get very excited with the idea of eating cool salads. Instead of the usual tomatoes, cucumber or lettuce, for a change of beat, I thought that it would be fun to mix things up. So, I came up with a fusion of ingredients which most of us have easy access to but still brings a dance to our tastebuds.

Chicken, spiced up with some peanut butter, honey, sesame dressing with a touch of chilli flakes for a kick. Juice of a lime for a touch of brightness. Some Chinese or Napa cabbage for crunch, some glass noodles and rice vermicelli to add some substance.And a small carrot for added crunch and sweetness. This also adds a touch of colour.

This salad is very versatile and can be made as a small starter dish or just multiply the amounts to feed a crowd. Fun and definitely a conversation starter at any gathering. I have often been asked for the recipe.

To make:
1 chicken breast                                           4  Tbs peanut butter                              pinch of chilli flakes
40g glass noodles                                        2 tsp honey                                                1/2 cup warm water
50g rice vermicelli                                      2 tsp soya sauce                                       juice of a lime
9  Napa cabbage leaves                            2  tsp sesame oil                                      1 small carrot

Cook the chicken breast till just done. Let cool and shred into bite sized pieces.
Soak the glass noodles and rice vermicelli in hot water for about 20mins. Drain well.
Wash and slice the cabbage leaves into narrow strips crossways.
​Julienne the carrot.
In a container  whisk together the peanut butter, honey, and warm water till smooth.
Add the soya sauce, sesame oil and chilli flakes to taste. Whisk well together.
Add the to the rest of the ingredients and coat well.
Tastes best if let to stand and to allow the flavours to soak in for at least 30 mins.

                 glass noodles                                           rice vermicelli                                      cooked chicken breast

noodles soaked in hot water                           drain noodles well                                    shred chicken

          Napa cabbage leaves                           cut into strips crosswise                          julienned carrot

Tan tan Ramen is delicious, with a good dose of sesame flavour and some spiciness. It is a cross between the Chinese dandan noodles and a typical ramen.

It is a quick and easy way to satisfy that ramen desire.

​To Make: for 2
200g cooked ramen noodles                  2 Tbs sesame paste                       chilli oil

For the meat sauce:   
200g minced pork                                      for the soup:
2 spring onions                                            600ml water                                       
1 garlic clove                                                1 Tbs soya sauce                    
1Tbs Douban sauce                                   1 Tbs dark vinegar
1 Tbs oil                                                          1 Tbs sesame oil
                                                                            pinch of sugar

Slice the spring onions into rings. Set aside some green part for garnish.
Peel and mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the minced meat, garlic and spring onions. Fry till fragrant and the meat is crumbly.
Heat the soup ingredients together in a pot. Set aside 2 Tbs of the meat sauce and add the rest of the meat sauce into the soup. Stir well together.
Add the sesame paste and stir in well. Taste and season with chilli oil to your taste.
Place a portion of noodles in a bowl. Spoon over the meaty soup. Top with a tablespoon of the reserved meat sauce and garnish with the reserved spring onion.
Serve immediately.
​Enjoy!

from left to right: douban sauce, sesame oil, Chinese sesame paste and Chinese black vinegar

Chicory or Belgian Endive are grown in complete darkness which is why they are very pale, almost white and have  slightly yellow tips. They have a slightly bitter taste but I think they pair well with citrus and is delicious when braised. Suitable as a dish on its own or as an accompaniment to fish, seafood or most white meats.

To make: For 2
2  heads of endives                               olive oil                                                      freshly ground pepper
1/2 an orange ​                                        a knob of butter                                     salt
splash of white wine                            a pinch of chilli flakes

Rinse the chicory and cut into half lengthwise.
Carefully remove the membrane from the orange segments.
Heat a knob of butter and a little olive oil in a pan.
Place the chicory cut side down and let it brown a little under medium high heat, about 4 mins.
Flip and brown the other side for about 2 mins.
Add the orange into the pan with a splash of white wine.
When the chicory is tender, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of chilli flakes
Enjoy!


NOTE: I will be traveling, gathering more experiences and eating my way through the next 3 weeks. Will not be posting but will be back thereafter! Catch you then :D
​

       the  ingredients                                                     cut in half                                            membrane removed

              heat the butter                               chicory in, cut side down                                            turn

      add orange and white wine             season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes

I have a fascination for Japanese food and every now and then attempt to make it at home. One of the most delicious salads and so very healthy is Goma-ae or spinach salad with a sesame dressing.

It is a light and delicious way to start a meal or as a side. Also makes a perfect snack.

After looking at many different recipes both from Japanese cookbooks and online, here is my take on this dish.

My shortcut is using ready made Chinese toasted sesame paste. This saves the time and effort of toasting the sesame seeds and grinding them from scratch.  Chinese sesame paste is darker in colour and is stronger in taste since the sesame seeds have been toasted before being made into a paste. 

​When you look at a 500g bag of spinach, it looks like a mountain but it never fails to amaze me to see how much spinach shrinks! Believe me, you will want to make at least 500g of spinach.

I still toast some sesame seeds to garnish as this adds a lovely crunch and texture to the salad.

​To make: depending on how much you like it

for the dressing:                                                                 
2 tsp mirin                                                                                      500g baby spinach 
2½ tablespoons sesame paste                                               1 teaspoon sesame oil
1½ tablespoons rice vinegar                                                   2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds 
1½ tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
a splash of  water​

In a large bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together.
Rinse and clean the spinach.
Blanch the spinach in a pot of boiling water. Remove as soon as they turn a bright green. About 30 seconds.
Drain well. Rinse under running cold water to stop further cooking from residue heat.
When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can.
​Add the spinach to the dressing and toss to coat.
Drizzle  sesame oil over the spinach and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Tip: I used a pasta pot with its inlay to blanch the spinach for quick and easy blanching and removal to run under cold water.

​Note: to toast the sesame seeds place in a  dry pan under low heat and stir now and then. Be careful not to let it burn.

           the ingredients                             dressing ingredients in a bowl                  spinach into boiling water

blanched, drained and rinsed                dressing whisked together                            water squeezed out

               add to dressing                                             mix in well                                     toast sesame seeds in dry pan

top with sesame oil and seeds                         my pot with inlay

A stunning alternative to nigiri sushi is to make sushi stacks. You can use anything to top the sumeshi (vinegared rice) that tickles your fancy.  It is an impressive dish for the special someone or as a starter for guests. I like to have a quick look around the market to see what fresh sashimi grade seafood I can find. This time my fishmonger only had sashimi grade Scottish wild caught salmon. To add to the texture and flavour, I decided on the red fish roe, Ikura, and some cooked prawns. The addition of perfectly ripe avocado and cucumber not only adds flavour but colour and crunch. 
Topped with some toasted sesame seeds and a little nori (seaweed) these stacks make a very delightful toothsome meal or a gorgeous starter. The colour combination adds to it being an eye candy too. After all, we eat with are eyes as well.

​I like to eat this with some soya sauce and wasabi and some pickled ginger.

To Make: for 8 stacks
For the sumeshi (rice):                            For the seafood topping:                              For the green topping:
2 cups uncooked sushi rice                   200g sashimi grade salmon                         1 ripe avocado
4 Tbs Japanese rice vinegar                 200g prawns                                                      1/2 cucumber  
1 1/2 Tbs sugar                                          50g Ikura                                                              pinch of salt
1 tsp salt                                                                                                                                        1 Tbs lime juice
                                                          
For garnish:                                                                                         
toasted seaweed (nori)
toasted sesame seeds

Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt for the sumeshi together and set aside.
Cook the sushi rice as per instructions. When cooked,  moisten a round, flat-bottomed wooden tub or a large bowl with water so the rice will not stick to the container. Transfer the cooked rice into the tub or bowl and spread out evenly so the rice will cool faster. After it has cooled a little but still hot, pour sushi vinegar over the rice. ​Mix in well. Be careful not to mush the rice grains.
Cook the prawns in boiling water. Rinse to cool quickly under cold running water. Cut into small pieces.
​Cut the salmon into small cubes.
Mix the salmon, prawns and salmon roe together.
Peel and cut the avocado into small cubes.
Cut the cucumber into small cubes after removing the seeds.
Mix the cucumber, avocado and lime juice together. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
Using a metal ring as the stack form, place some rice at the bottom.
Add the avocado, cucumber mixture.
Top with the seafood mixture.
Carefully remove the ring. 
Sprinkle a little toasted sesame seeds and nori on top.
Enjoy!

Note: Wash the sushi rice by rinsing till the water becomes clear. Allow to soak in water for about 30mins before cooking. When ready to cook, drain the rice. Place in rice cooker and follow the amount of water recommended for cooking sushi rice or sweet rice.
​
Note:I used the rice cooker to cook my rice so the amount is measured using the rice cooker measuring cup.

​Tip: using lime juice not only keeps the avocado from turning brown but adds another subtle layer of flavour. Lime is a softer acidity than lemon.

                prawns cooked                                   avocado and cucumber                              seeds removed

          can it get more perfect?                              avocado cut                               avocado and cucumber with lime
​                                                                                                                                                                     juice

                 lovely salmon                                    cut into small pieces                            mixture for the sumeshi

            well mixed together                                wet a wooden bowl                           add the hot cooked rice

        add the vinegar mixture                               mix in well                                        mix the seafood together

         use a ring to layer