Phan Anh, founder and CEO of Esheep Kitchen

Ông Táo’s Kitchen introduces this recipe from Phan Anh, food blogger and founder and CEO of Esheep Kitchen and founder of YÊU BẾP, a Facebook community fanpage with 1.5 million members.

Phan Anh said she has made this at home and everyone loved it. The dish is made two days in advance and is great for family reunions.

Time: 2 days

Serves: 1 finished kilogram

Chef’s warning: The most challenging part of making this ruby-coloured salted salmon is how to control the red colour of the ruby red beetroot.

It’s super easy, but attention must be paid to the details. I also wanted to add a Vietnamese touch to the dish, in the form of chẳm chéo, together with a special Thai dipping mix and a pinch of orange peel.

- You’re advised to deep peel the beetroot, then use the same peeler to peel all.

- Press half an apple with its peel, mix the juice with the beetroot peel.

- Mix the orange peel with sea salt to flavour the salt.

- You can also add some flavour from coriander seeds and dill seeds to add some depth, and they pair really well with wine when served later. Phan Anh used mắc khén (popularly known as Sichuan pepper), hạt dổi, a wild pepper named Michelia Tonkinesis, and dried lemongrass.

- Fresh salmon fillet (the freshest you can get).

- Wash your kitchen utensils and your hands thoroughly, because you’re not going to use plastic gloves as they leave a smell on the delicate dish.

Ingredients:

- Fresh salmon fillet: 1 kg

- Rock salt: 100 gr

- Crystal sugar: 100 gr

- Northwestern chẳm chéo dipping mix: 2 tbsp.

- Ground pepper: 1 tbsp.

- Peel from 2 oranges (I used 2 imported oranges from Australia)

- Juice of half an apple with peel (I used an Ambrosia apple)

- Beetroot peel: 200 gr (do not use more for 1 kg of salmon)

- A bunch of fresh dill

Tools:

- Food wrap, a tray for the salmon, and a heavy dish or tray

- A sharp knife

Ruby salted salmon. Photo courtesy of Phan Anh

Method:

- Cut the salmon fillet into two equal pieces of 500 grams, do not peel the skin.

- Mix the chẳm chéo with pepper, orange peel, salt and sugar.

- Soak the beetroot with apple juice, then mix it with the orange peel seasoning mixture.

- Finely chop the dill leaves, then add to the mixture.

- Put the salmon in a glass tray, dab the final seasoning mixture evenly on top, and leave for a few minutes, for the juice to drain out and soak the salmon completely.

- Cover with food wrap and place the heavy dish or tray on top.

- Put in the fridge at zero degrees for 48 hours.

- After 48 hours, take out the salmon, clean it with de-ionised water, then dab with a paper towel to fully dry.

- Dab the fish with some olive oil, wrap it and put it back in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing.

This ruby salted salmon is best as an appetiser or served with assorted bread and a glass of chilled white wine.

Bon appetit!