Chef Rika's Two Wasabi Dishes [Japanese Cooking] - Dining with the Chef

Wasabi isn't just for sushi! Add its spicy kick and fresh aroma to everyday dishes. Chef Rika introduces two recipes: salad with wasabi dressing, and pasta with wasabi butter soy sauce.

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Chicken Salad with Wasabi Dressing

Ingredients (Serves 2)
1 chicken breast
Salt, as needed

1 cucumber
1 tomato
Shiso leaves, as needed

3 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp sushi vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
Wasabi paste, as needed

Directions
1. Gently simmer the chicken breast in salted, hot water for 3 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave it to cook through with residual heat.
3. Dice a cucumber and a tomato. Chop the shiso leaves or any of your favorite aromatic herbs.
4. Mix sesame oil, sushi vinegar, soy sauce, and wasabi paste together making the dressing.
5. Arrange the chicken breast and vegetables on a plate. Drizzle the dressing over them and garnish with shiso leaves.


Seafood Spaghetti with Wasabi Butter Soy Sauce

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
240 g spaghetti (preferably 1.8 mm)
Salt, as needed

Sliced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
25 g butter
Wasabi paste
Soy sauce

200 g snap peas with pods
180 g scallops (sashimi grade)
70 g salted salmon roe

Directions
1. Gather the snap peas and remove the stems and strings. Boil them for 2 to 3 minutes in salted water. Split them in half when they have cooled down. For the scallops, parboil for about 20 seconds. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels and cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. Next boil the spaghetti. Rika recommends boiling for 1 to 2minutes less than the time indicated on the package, so don't be in a hurry to cook them.
3. Slowly heat the garlic and oil in a pan. When they release their aroma, add some pasta water, butter, wasabi, and soy sauce. Mix well.
4. Thoroughly toss the boiled pasta and coat with the sauce, then plate.
Top with the peas, scallops and salmon roe.