Today, the collard wraps get a Japanese makeover, slathered in Japanese mayo, topped with fried capelin, pickled carrots, shiso leaves, kale and scallions, and served with a dipping sauce with pickled plums, ponzu and toasted sesame oil. Yes, collard leaves are not exactly part of the Japanese vegetable pantheon, but these kinds of distinctions have never stopped me from putting fish sauce in Mexican salsas and feta cheese in Thai salads…
Having finally perfected my homemade Japanese mayo recipe, I was pretty excited to try it out in a variety of dishes, from the traditional to the not-so-traditional. In my first experiment, I was pursuing a fantasy, more than anything. Collard leaves. Wrapped. They’re everywhere now. You’ve seen them. For some reason they make me salivate. It’s salad, transformed into a finger food. It seems like the perfect vehicle to cram a bunch of vegetables and sauces into your mouth at once, and to be excused for some of it dribbling down your chin.
So, what would the Japanese version of a collard wrap look like? Well, the options are endless, but I had a pack of komochi shishamo (子持ちシシャモ ) in my freezer and I thought they might taste good smothered in mayonnaise (although, granted, most things taste good smothered in mayo). I let the idea ferment in my mind and by the weekend, it had bubbled over to include pickled carrots and a ponzu-based dipping sauce (aka more work to do in advance).
I attacked my collard wrap without a hint of restraint, sinking my teeth into the layers of moist vegetables and crispy fish, expelling in the process slivers of carrot and onion, which landed everywhere but on my plate, to the amused dismay of my dinner companion. I made no attempt to apologize or show signs of remorse, but instead assailed another, impishly relishing every bite.
Fantasy = happily fulfilled.
Ok, let’s wrap up this delicious abomination
Joëlle
Serves 3-4
Collard wraps get a Japanese makeover! Slathered in Japanese mayo, topped with fried capelin, pickled carrots, shiso leaves, kale, avocado and scallions and served with a super tangy dipping sauce with pickled plums, ponzu and toasted sesame oil. A feast for the eyes and mouth!
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Ingredients
- 1 sweet Asian carrot, julienned
- 2 tbsp shio koji (see notes)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup ponzu (see notes)
- 1 tsp umeboshi paste
- 1 tsbp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Shishamo
- Avocado oil spray
- 1 bunch kale, stems discarded
- 24 small shiso leaves (or 12 large ones)
- 12 collard leaves, stems removed and blanched
- 2-4 scallions, cut into 4cm-sticks, and julienned
- Japanese Mayonnaise (see notes)
Instructions
- For the Carrot Pickles
- The day before, combine pickle ingredients in a lidded glass container and store it in the fridge overnight.
- For the Dipping Sauce
- Put all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix.
- For the Shishamo
- Cut out a piece of parchment paper and put it at the bottom of your frying pan.
- Heat the pan over medium heat. Spray the surface of the parchment paper with the avocado oil and add shishamo side by side, working in batches if necessary.
- Cook the shishamo, turning them over carefully on occasion, until they are cooked and crispy, about 6 minutes.
- For the Rolls
- Steam kale for 3-4 minutes (depending on the thickness of the kale).
- Blanch collard leaves for 1 minute.
- To assemble the rolls, lay a collard leaf down on a flat surface, butter on a strip of mayonnaise, add a bit of kale, pickled carrots, scallions, and a pair of shishamo. Top with two small shiso leaves, and roll the whole thing up as you would a burrito, tucking in the sides if you can.
- Cut the rolls in half and serve with the dipping sauce.
Notes
Shio koji (塩麹) is a lacto-fermented mixture of rice koji (rice inoculated with aspergillus oryzae spore -- the basis for many well-know Japanese ferments such as miso, sake and soy sauce). It provides enzymes and probiotics while imparting the dish with a unique umami flavour. You can substitute sea salt, himalayan salt or fish sauce. To learn more about shio koji, how to make it at home, and how to use it in the kitchen, click here. Ponzu (ポン酢) is a Japanese citrus-based sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, bonito fish flakes, kelp and an assortment of citrus zests and juices. Learn how to make it (Recipe here). Japanese Mayonnaise is made by emulsifying oil, egg yolks and a touch of rice vinegar, with the addition of a few secret ingredients to give it an umami kick. See my paleo approved version here.
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