When you want to serve something that feels restaurant-level but is secretly very simple, these crispy rice flowers with Whisky & Soy smoked salmon tartare are a brilliant choice. They look delicate and elegant on the plate, but come together in just a few easy steps and are perfect as a small starter for a special dinner with friends.
The star of the base is Vietnamese rice paper, the same one used for fresh and fried spring rolls: light, almost transparent and made to puff up beautifully in hot oil. If you’re curious about where it comes from and how it’s traditionally used, this guide to Vietnamese rice paper and its origins is a lovely deep dive into its history and role in the local cuisine.
This recipe is designed as a scenic but approachable starter: you can prepare all the components in advance (tartare and vegetables), then fry the rice paper and assemble just before serving. The result is an impressive plate that works beautifully for a dinner party or a tasting-style menu at home.
Ingredients (2 rice 'flowers')
- 2 rice paper sheets
- 2 egg yolks
- vegetable oil for frying
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
For the smoked salmon tartare:
- 100g Smokin’ Brothers Whisky & Soy smoked salmon
- 1 spring onion
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small clove of garlic, grated
- a small piece of ginger, grated
- sesame seeds, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- fresh coriander, to taste
- juice of 1/2 lime
- chilli flakes, to taste
- 1/2 Scotch Bonnet chilli (or another hot chilli, to taste)
- 3 sugar snap peas
For the marinated vegetables:
- 1/2 courgette
- 1/2 carrot
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- juice of 1/2 lime
- sesame seeds
- nori seaweed, crumbled
Method
1. Prepare the marinated vegetables
Slice the courgette and carrot into very thin julienne strips. Place them in a bowl and dress with the lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame seeds and crumbled nori. Massage gently with your hands so the vegetables absorb the seasoning. Set aside: they will soften slightly while staying crunchy and gain flavour.
2. Make the Whisky&Soy smoked salmon tartare
Cut the Smokin’ Brothers Whisky&Soy smoked salmon into small, even cubes. Finely slice the spring onion and sugar snap peas, and roughly chop the fresh coriander.
In a bowl, combine:
- the diced salmon
- spring onion
- sugar snap peas
- coriander
Add the grated garlic and ginger, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, sesame seeds, a pinch of chilli flakes and as much Scotch Bonnet as you like, depending on how spicy you want it.
Mix well so the salmon is evenly coated in the dressing. Let the tartare rest while you prepare the rice flowers, so the flavours can develop.
3. Fry the rice paper
Pour about a finger’s depth of vegetable oil into a wide frying pan and heat it up.
To test if the oil is ready, dip a small corner of rice paper: if it puffs up immediately, the temperature is right.
Carefully slide one sheet of rice paper into the hot oil. It will puff and turn white and crispy in just a few seconds, forming a flower-like shape. As soon as the rice flower has formed, gently place one egg yolk in the centre while it’s still in the pan, then quickly lift it out and drain on kitchen paper.
Repeat with the second sheet of rice paper and the second egg yolk. Allow the rice flowers to cool slightly: the yolk should remain soft, while the shell stays very crisp.
4. Assemble the dish
Place each rice flower on an individual plate. Spoon some smoked salmon tartare into the centre, next to (or partially around) the egg yolk, taking care not to break the crisp shell.
Add a small portion of the marinated vegetables to the side or tucked gently into the rice flower for colour and freshness. Finish with a few extra sesame seeds or a small leaf ofcoriander on top, if you like.
An elegant, crunchy, creamy little bite that looks far more complex than it really is, exactly the kind of recipe that makes hosting feel effortless.
Discover our selection of smoked products here.