Cuban-Japanese fusion recipe

Salmon Sashimi with Passion Fruit and Ají Cachucha

Name: Salmon Sashimi with Passion Fruit and Ají Cachucha
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 400 g cleaned salmon loin, skinless and boneless, suitable for raw consumption and already thawed in the refrigerator; 150 g cucumber; 40 ml pure passion fruit juice, without sugar or seeds; 20 g passion fruit pulp passed through a fine strainer, without seeds; 15 ml soy sauce; 3 g grated ginger; 1 small ají cachucha, seeded and very finely chopped; 5-10 ml cold water (optional, if the dressing is intense)

A fresh Cuban-Japanese fusion starter: slices of salmon with a tangy passion fruit, ginger and ají cachucha dressing, and cucumber ribbons.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

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Preparation25 min
Total time25 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

This salmon sashimi is a contemporary Cuban-Japanese fusion dish: it combines the clean cuts and simplicity of sashimi with distinctly Caribbean flavors, passion fruit and ají cachucha. It is not a traditional recipe from either cuisine, but a modern adaptation intended as a light starter.

The dressing is light, tangy and aromatic, with no added sugar: passion fruit brings freshness, soy sauce a salty touch, ginger a clean, spicy note and ají cachucha a mild aroma with almost no heat. It is served over thin slices of cold salmon and crisp cucumber ribbons.

Because this dish contains raw fish, safety is part of the recipe: read the protocol in the notes and the first steps carefully before starting.

Ingredients

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For the sashimi

400 g cleaned salmon loin, skinless and boneless, suitable for raw consumption and already thawed in the refrigerator
150 g cucumber

For the passion fruit dressing

40 ml pure passion fruit juice, without sugar or seeds
20 g passion fruit pulp passed through a fine strainer, without seeds
15 ml soy sauce
3 g grated ginger
1 small ají cachucha, seeded and very finely chopped
5-10 ml cold water (optional, if the dressing is intense)

Method

Before you begin

Check that the salmon comes from a reliable supplier, is expressly intended for raw consumption and has undergone parasite controls appropriate to its species and origin (freezing validated by the supplier where applicable). Thaw it in the refrigerator and keep it at 4 °C or below until ready to cut. Prepare clean cutting boards and knives, separate from other foods.

Dressing

Extract the passion fruit juice and pulp without crushing the black seeds: pass the pulp through a fine strainer, pressing gently with a spoon, until you have 40 ml of juice and 20 g of strained pulp, which are used separately.
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Mix the juice, strained pulp, soy sauce, grated ginger and very finely chopped ají cachucha in a bowl. Taste: it should be a light, tangy and aromatic sauce, not a sweet cream. If it is very intense, mellow it with 5-10 ml of cold water. Cover and refrigerate at 4 °C or below.
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Cucumber and slicing

Wash the cucumber and cut it into thin ribbons with a peeler or mandoline. Keep chilled.
Using a very sharp, clean knife, cut the cold salmon into slices about 5 mm thick, using clean, single strokes without sawing. Return the slices to the refrigerator until assembly.

Assembly

Chill four plates. Fan the salmon slices out on each plate and add the cucumber ribbons. Just before serving, add the dressing sparingly in small amounts, leaving the slices visible, and serve immediately. Do not keep leftover fish once dressed.
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Tips and variations

Timing. The 25 minutes assumes the fish is already prepared for raw consumption and thawed in the refrigerator; it does not include preventive freezing or thawing.

Raw fish safety (important). Buy the salmon from a reliable supplier, with fish expressly intended for raw consumption, and confirm that it has undergone parasite controls appropriate to the species and origin, including freezing validated by the supplier where applicable. Freshness alone is never a guarantee. Start with salmon that has already been treated and thawed in the refrigerator. Do not improvise home freezing protocols: we do not consider them sufficient.

What does not make the raw center safe. Neither passion fruit nor other citrus fruits, soy sauce, miso, kombu, or searing or lightly charring only the outside makes the raw center of a fish safe. Proper freezing controls parasites, but does not eliminate all harmful microorganisms, and no method guarantees zero risk.

Chilling and cleanliness. Keep the fish, sauce and raw preparations at 4 °C or below until serving. Use a clean cutting board and knife, separate from those used for other foods, and wash your hands frequently. Serve as soon as prepared and do not keep leftover fish once dressed.

Fully cooked alternative. For pregnant people, young children, older adults and immunocompromised people, cook the salmon completely until the center reaches 63 °C (pan-seared, baked or steamed) and serve it warm or cold with the same dressing and cucumber. The result is different: the texture is firm and flaky, and it is no longer sashimi.

About the dressing. Use the juice and pulp separately, without crushing the black seeds, which are bitter. If it is too intense, mellow it with 5-10 ml of cold water; do not add sugar, as the tart profile is the goal. Soy sauce often contains gluten, which is why this recipe is not labeled gluten-free; if needed, look for certified gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.