Salmon and Brown Rice Salad in Lettuce Cups

I am not a kitchen gadget person. But when an InstaPot arrives on my doorstep, I am thrilled. A little intimidated after reading the instructions, I let the device sit in standby mode.Then I wonder...how hard can this be. It's the current rage. Articles about it float across a range of magazines and newspapers. In the past I have conquered my fear of pressure cookers. So reassured, the pot sheds its styrofoam and cardboard wrapping to perch on my counter.

The million dollar question is what to make. After a heated discussion Shauna and I decide on brown rice. Brown rice takes forever to cook stovetop. The InstaPot might be the solution, an easier cooking method. I measure while Shauna reads the instructions, a task she is unaccustomed to. Millennials fly by the seat of their pants. But I digress. We measure rice and water. The lid clicks shut and the display comes alive with numbers. Are they right? Should we press cancel? Or should we pull our hair out in sheer panic?? Panic is not a pretty sight at all!!! Then the machine pings and its off to the races. It turns out that the InstaPot is a nifty cooker. No need to jump out of your skin when the pressure goes off. No hisses and spurts of skin burning steam. No rocking whistle that has a life of its own. And voila... in thirty two minutes we have perfectly cooked brown rice.

The salad comprises of salmon, edamame, red onion and water chestnuts mixed with the cooked brown rice. The dressing does double duty as a marinade and a vinaigrette. A couple of tablespoons over the salmon and the rest over the salad. It is made with soy, olive oil, sesame oil, chile flakes, sesame seeds, sugar and lime.  Boston lettuce leaves are soft and buttery. They taste even better when heaped with salad.



SALMON AND BROWN RICE SALAD IN LETTUCE CUPS
Serves 4

1 cup cooked Brown Rice
1 small Red Onion
1/2 cup Water Chestnuts
1/2 cup cooked Edamame beans
1/4 pound Salmon
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon toasted Sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon Chile Flakes (add more if you like it spicy)
 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1 Lime, juiced
Boston Lettuce leaves
Cilantro for garnishing
Pomegranate Seeds for garnishing
Line Wedges


Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, sesame seeds, chile flakes, sugar and lime juice till sugar has dissolved.

Cut salmon into thick pieces and put in glass bowl. 

Pour 3 tablespoons of dressing over salmon. Turn salmon so it is well coated. Leave in marinade for 10 minutes.

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray.

Place salmon in hot pan and cook for 6 minutes on one side. Flip salmon and cook a further 4 minutes on the other side. Remove from pan and cool.

Thinly slice red onion.

Chop water chestnuts into bite size chunks.

Assemble salad by mixing rice, sliced onion, water chestnuts and edamame.

Flake salmon into large chunks and add to rice.

Drizzle 5-6 tablespoons of whisked dressing over rice. Mix gently.

Heap tablespoons of salad onto lettuce cups.

Scatter cilantro and pomegranate seeds over salad Arrange lime wedges on platter.

Serve at room temperature.

The InstaPot is a hit. Thanks Carla!! We eat with our eyes. The tempting platter invites us to pick up a lettuce cup and finish it in a few quick bites. These are innocuous flavors and yet together they stand so tall. Lettuce have some fun with our food!

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