Spiced home-cured salmon

• whole piece of skinless, boneless salmon fillet400g/14oz g
• coarse sea salt↗85g g
• caster sugar↗85g g
• star anise1

  seeds removed and crushed

• coriander seeds↗1 tbsp tbsp

  crushed

• few fresh coriander

  stalks, chopped

• piece ginger↗1cm cm

  roughly chopped

• dry sherry↗1 tbsp tbsp
• dark soy sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• dry sherry↗2 tbsp tbsp
• garlic clove↗1

  crushed

• small red chilli↗1

  deseeded and diced

• few drops sesame oil
• sprinkling caster sugar

  to taste

• small handful each dill

  coriander and mint leaves

• ½ mouli

  (Japanese radish), peeled and shaved into ribbons with a potato peeler

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the salmon fillet into a small tray on a double layer of cling film. In a bowl, mix the salt and sugar with the spices, coriander stalks and ginger, then scatter the mix over both sides of the fish and pat it down. Drizzle over the sherry and wrap the fish in the cling film. Place another tray on top, weight it down with a few tins, then chill for 2 days, flipping the fish over each day.

2. 2

   Mix all the dressing ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. If the flavour is too strong, dilute it slightly with a drop of water, then set aside.

3. 3

   To serve, unwrap the salmon and wipe it clean, then briefly rinse it and pat dry with kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the fish quite thinly and arrange on plates with the mouli, then sprinkle with the herbs and drizzle over the dressing.