Spicy Japanese Shrimp Salad

This recipe is inspired by our friends Sean and Jack, the sushi chefs at Hana in Toms River, NJ.
Domo arigato (Thank you very much).

• 1½ lbs cooked shrimp, finely chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• Spicy Japanese mayo (recipe below or buy in Asian market)
• Tobiko (flying fish roe/eggs)
• Pita Bread
• Avocado, sliced as a garnish

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and serve in Pita bread as a meal, or in bowls as an appetizer. You can substitute Romanoff Red Lumpfish caviar if you can't find Tobiko.

Spicy Japanese Mayo (Americanized version)

• ½ cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon Hot Chile/Sesame Oil
• ½ tablespoon Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon Hot Red Pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. You can cut the hot stuff down if you can't take the heat.

Japanese Mayo (the real deal) (courtesy Rolling Your Own Sushi)

• 3 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1½ oz (50 g) white miso *
• 1 cup salad oil
• salt to taste
• sprinkle of white pepper
• a pinch of grated yuzu**, lime, or lemon peel
• add "heat" as above

** Miso is salty paste of fermented soy beans. It is available in Asian markets and some health food stores. White miso is used for soups and dressings.
** Yuzu is a Japanese orange used only for its rind. Kaffir lime used in Thai or Malaysian food is an alternative, as is lemon or lime rind.

Beat the egg yolks and lemon juice with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Continue to beat, adding the salad oil a few drops at a time until the mixture begins to emulsify. Keep on adding the rest of the oil, then stir in the miso and the seasonings.

Refrigerate in a squeeze bottle.

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