Raw Wasabi is now being grown in Tasmania, so fresh wasabi root is becoming more widely available, if you can find some, use finely grated wasabi root instead of wasabi paste.

Serves 6 as an entrée

What you need:

½ cup mirin (see notes)

¼ cup rice vinegar

3 teaspoons wasabi paste

1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded and finely diced

36 freshly shucked oysters

1½ tablespoons pickled ginger

What to do:

Combine mirin, vinegar and wasabi and toss through cucumber. Lift oysters out of their shells, divide cucumber salad between shells and place oysters on top.

Garnish with a little pickled ginger and serve.

Notes: Mirin is a sweet Japanese fortified rice wine used for cooking.

True mirin (labelled ‘hon mirin’) contains alcohol, so what is available in supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, and normally used, is non-alcoholic ‘mirin seasoning’. Alternative species: steamed saucer scallops.