Crispy Fish Skin Salad with Chili-Garlic Dressing
Crispy Fish Skin Salad with Chili-Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
For the Crispy Fish Skin
- 1 salmon skin, from 1 side of salmon
- 2 cups ice, for ice bath
For the Chili-Garlic Dressing
- 2 dried chilis, cut into pieces
- 2 Thai red chilis, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Salad Assembly
- 1/4 cup scallions, cut into thin strands
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 long green chilis, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, or lightly fried, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons ice
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For Serving
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, or lightly fried, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, for drizzling, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the salmon skin: Lay the salmon skin flat on a clean cutting board. Using a sharp knife angled downwards, carefully separate the skin from any remaining salmon flesh. Scrape off any scales or residual fat from both sides of the skin.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Rinse the cleaned salmon skin thoroughly under cold water. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Blanch the salmon skin: Carefully submerge the salmon skin into the boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. You will observe it curl and firm up. Immediately transfer the blanched skin from the boiling water into the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let it cool completely in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes.
⏱️ 6 min
- 4
While the skin cools, prepare the chili-garlic dressing: In a heatproof bowl, combine the dried chilis (cut into pieces), sliced Thai red chilis, sliced garlic clove, and Szechuan peppercorns.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is very hot (just before smoking point). Carefully pour the hot oil over the ingredients in the heatproof bowl. The oil will sizzle and infuse with the aromatics.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
To the infused oil mixture, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and granulated sugar. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Assemble the salad: Remove the cooled salmon skin from the ice bath and pat it very dry with paper towels. The skin should be curled into small rolls. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried salmon skin, scallion strands, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced long green chilis, and the 1/4 cup of roasted peanuts.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add the 2 tablespoons of ice and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds to the mixing bowl. Strain the prepared chili-garlic dressing over the ingredients, ensuring to remove the solid aromatics from the dressing. Toss all ingredients together thoroughly with your hands to combine, ensuring the fish skin is evenly coated and remains crisp and bouncy.
⏱️ 4 min
- 9
Serve immediately: Divide the fish skin salad among individual serving dishes. Optionally, add a few extra ice cubes to the bottom of each plate for added chill. Top each serving with the extra roasted peanuts and drizzle with sesame oil just before serving.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Fish Skin Salad with Chili-Garlic Dressing
For the Crispy Fish Skin
- 1 salmon skin, from 1 side of salmon
- 2 cups ice, for ice bath
For the Chili-Garlic Dressing
- 2 dried chilis, cut into pieces
- 2 Thai red chilis, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Salad Assembly
- 1/4 cup scallions, cut into thin strands
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 long green chilis, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, or lightly fried, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons ice
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For Serving
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, or lightly fried, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, for drizzling, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the salmon skin: Lay the salmon skin flat on a clean cutting board. Using a sharp knife angled downwards, carefully separate the skin from any remaining salmon flesh. Scrape off any scales or residual fat from both sides of the skin.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Rinse the cleaned salmon skin thoroughly under cold water. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Blanch the salmon skin: Carefully submerge the salmon skin into the boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. You will observe it curl and firm up. Immediately transfer the blanched skin from the boiling water into the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let it cool completely in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes.
⏱️ 6 min - 4
While the skin cools, prepare the chili-garlic dressing: In a heatproof bowl, combine the dried chilis (cut into pieces), sliced Thai red chilis, sliced garlic clove, and Szechuan peppercorns.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is very hot (just before smoking point). Carefully pour the hot oil over the ingredients in the heatproof bowl. The oil will sizzle and infuse with the aromatics.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
To the infused oil mixture, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and granulated sugar. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Assemble the salad: Remove the cooled salmon skin from the ice bath and pat it very dry with paper towels. The skin should be curled into small rolls. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried salmon skin, scallion strands, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced long green chilis, and the 1/4 cup of roasted peanuts.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add the 2 tablespoons of ice and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds to the mixing bowl. Strain the prepared chili-garlic dressing over the ingredients, ensuring to remove the solid aromatics from the dressing. Toss all ingredients together thoroughly with your hands to combine, ensuring the fish skin is evenly coated and remains crisp and bouncy.
⏱️ 4 min - 9
Serve immediately: Divide the fish skin salad among individual serving dishes. Optionally, add a few extra ice cubes to the bottom of each plate for added chill. Top each serving with the extra roasted peanuts and drizzle with sesame oil just before serving.
⏱️ 3 min