Salad with Citrus Sesame Dressing

This light and breezy salad is a wonder.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 corn cobs

• 1 tbs olive oil

• 2 small zucchini, chopped

• 1/4 small white cabbage, finely sliced

• 2 small Lebanese cucumbers, chopped

• 2 small beetroots, cooked, cut into wedges

• 1 small iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup (60ml) apple cider vinegar

• 120g edamame beans, blanched

• 1/3 cup loosely packed dill sprigs & flat-leaf parsley leaves

• 2 spring onions, finely chopped

• 1/3 cup (4 tbs) furikake or nori sesame topping

CITRUS SESAME DRESSING

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 tbs tahini

• 1 tbs tamari

• 1/4 cup (60ml) rice wine vinegar

• 1 tbs ponzu sauce (citrus soy – from supermarkets)

• 2 tbs light-flavoured oil

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tbs wasabi paste

• 1 Asian (red) eschalot, finely chopped

DEEP-FRIED CHICKPEAS

• 2 cups (500ml) light-flavoured oil, to deep-fry

• 400g can chickpeas, drained

• 1 tbs furikake or nori sesame topping

METHOD

1. Cut the corn cobs in half and simmer in a large pan of water for 8 minutes, then drain and cool. Cut off the kernels.

2. Heat a little olive oil in a hot pan, add the corn kernels and zucchini and cook until the zucchini is just starting to soften and colour.

3. Meanwhile, make the citrus sesame dressing. Whisk the garlic, tahini, tamari, vinegar and ponzu in a bowl. Slowly add the oils, whisking continuously until emulsified. Whisk in the wasabi and then stir in the eschalot.

4. To deep-fry the chickpeas, heat oil in a large heavy-based pan until a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles. Carefully add chickpeas and fry for 2 minutes, or until they start to blister. Drain in a bowl lined with paper towel. Season with the furikake while still hot and leave to cool completely. (You can store them in an airtight container for up to a day – they make an excellent snack.)

5. Arrange cabbage, cucumber, beetroot and lettuce in a bowl, add apple cider vinegar and toss well. Top with corn, zucchini and edamame. Drizzle over sesame dressing and finish with chickpeas, dill, parsley, spring onions and furikake.