Beach-inspired dishes for summer fun

THE MAYA KITCHEN has come up with three easy-to-do dishes that bring the flavors of the beach to the home — light and nutritious Fish Fingers in Soft Taco with Avocado Aioli Dressing; Sweet N’ Spicy Salmon Poke in Pineapple Brown Rice; and a Greek-style Roasted Corn Cob Salad.
For more recipe inspirations, visit www.themayakitchen.com.

Fish finger in soft taco with avocado aioli dressing

INGREDIENTS: 6-8 pieces of fried breaded fish fingers, chopped or sliced; 1 cup of shredded red cabbage; 1 cup of shredded green cabbage; 1 small carrot, peeled and cut into julienne; Pinch of salt to taste; juice of 1 lime; 10 soft flour tortillas (prepared or store bought)
Avocado dressing: 1 ripe avocado; 4-5 cloves of garlic; 1/2 cup of mayonnaise; ¼ cup of sour cream; 1 tablespoon of honey; Juice of 1 lime; Salt and pepper to taste
Place the cabbage and carrots in a bowl, season with salt, and set aside and chill until ready to use. Grill tortillas for 10-15 seconds and keep right away in a sealed container to lock in and retain the moisture of the soft tacos.
Prepare avocado dressing: In a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients dressing except for salt. Process until well blended and smooth. Season to taste.
Divide the cabbage mixture and fish among the tortillas. Serve the avocado dressing on the side or drizzle over the soft taco.
the Soft Taco: 2 cups of MAYA All-Purpose Flour; 1 teaspoon of baking powder; 1 teaspoon of salt; 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening; ½ -3/4 cup of warm water; extra flour for rolling
In a clean bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt until well blended. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until a ball of dough is formed and almost cleans the side of the bowl. Divide dough into 10 equal portions and shape into smooth balls, and brush them with a little shortening, then cover with cheese cloth and rest for 30 minutes. Then roll each dough around 8-inch in diameter and roast in a griller or pan grill.
Yield: 10 servings

Sweet n’ Spicy salmon poke in pineapple brown rice

INGREDIENTS: 400 grams of sushi-grade fresh salmon filet, cubed; ¼ cup of light brewed soy sauce; 2 tablespoons of brown sugar; 2 tablespoons of sesame oil; 2 tablespoons of rice wine or sake; pepper to taste
Dry Seasoning: 1 nori sheet, grinded; 2 teaspoons of togarashi; 1 tablespoon of white or black roasted sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon of bonito flakes
Pineapple Brown Rice: 2 tablespoons of olive oil; ½ cup of pineapple chunks, drained; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced; 3-4 cups of cooked brown rice; 1 teaspoon of prepared seasoning; coriander leaves, chopped
In a bowl, marinade the salmon with soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice wine. Mix until salmon are fully covered with marinade. Set aside.
Prepare the seasoning: Using a mini-processor or spice blender, process the nori sheet and togarashi together until it is almost powder. Mix in the sesame seeds and bonito flakes, set aside for later use.
Prepare pineapple brown rice: Heat oil in a sautéing pan and pan sear pineapple chunks until lightly brown. Set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent and aromatic. Add in the rice and put at least half of the pineapple and a teaspoon of the prepared seasoning. Continue cooking until rice is aromatic.
To assemble: Place a cup of pineapple brown rice in a serving bowl, arrange on top pineapple chunks, marinated salmon and coriander leaves. Sprinkle with a little of the prepared seasoning before serving.
Yield: 4 servings

Greek-style roasted Japanese corn cob salad

INGREDIENTS: 2 pieces Japanese yellow corn in a cob, chopped; melted butter, as needed; grated Parmesan cheese mixed with 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley; a handful of each of arugula, lolorosa, and frisee lettuce; 200g of feta cheese; black and green olives, as needed; 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced; 1 onion; 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Vinaigrette: ¼ tablespoon of red wine vinegar; 1/3 cup of olive oil; ½ teaspoon of dried oregano; 2 teaspoons of honey, optional; salt and pepper to taste
Boil the Japanese corn until soft. Slice the corn cob and brush with melted butter then dredge the buttered corn with the parmesan cheese and parsley mixture. Set aside. In a serving dish, arrange the greens, olives, cucumber, onions, and tomatoes and top with the prepared chopped Japanese corn.
Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a salad dressing bottle with lid on and shake until well combined. Then toss in the salad.