Honeycomb Platter A Recipe

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add frozen edamame and cook 4–5 minutes until tender. Drain well and set aside.

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, do not brown.

Add the cooked edamame, chilli garlic sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt to the skillet. Toss to coat and heat through 1–2 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.

In a mixing bowl combine chopped lobster and finely chopped chashu pork.

Add 3 tbs mayonnaise, 0.5 tsp soy sauce, 0.5 tsp rice vinegar, 0.5 tsp sesame oil, 0.5 tsp lemon juice and sliced scallions. Mix gently until combined but lobster remains chunky.

Taste and adjust seasoning; add a pinch of salt if needed.

On a small shallow dish or tart ring, arrange a bed of microgreens or mixed salad leaves. Using wet hands or a small scoop, form the lobster–chashu mixture into a compact ball (about 3–4 tbsp per ball) and place on the greens.

Sprinkle a little furikake or toasted sesame on top for garnish.

In a bowl, whisk 4 eggs with 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp mirin, 0.5 tsp soy sauce and 1 tbs dashi until smooth and slightly frothy.

Heat a nonstick tamagoyaki pan (or small rectangular/skillet) over low–medium heat and brush lightly with oil.

Pour a thin layer of egg mixture into the pan so it just covers the bottom. When it is mostly set but still slightly wet on top, roll it gently toward you using chopsticks or spatula to form the first roll.

Brush pan with a little more oil, push the roll back to the far side, then pour another thin layer of egg. Lift the roll to let the uncooked egg flow underneath. When set, roll again to incorporate. Repeat until all egg mixture is used (3–4 layers).

Remove roll, let cool slightly, then shape with a bamboo mat or by pressing gently into a rectangular shape. Slice into 6–8 even pieces for the platter.

Pat shrimp dry, make 3 small shallow diagonal cuts in the belly to prevent curling, and lightly dust with a little flour (if using).

Prepare batter just before frying: in a bowl mix tempura flour with the beaten egg and very cold sparkling water. Stir lightly — batter should be lumpy and cold. Add an ice cube to keep temperature low if needed.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, a small drop of batter should sizzle and rise.

Dip shrimp into batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 2–3 shrimp at a time to avoid crowding, about 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate, season immediately with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep warm and crisp while frying remaining shrimp.

If using pre-cooked grilled unagi, warm gently in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 6–8 minutes or glaze and heat in a hot skillet for 1–2 minutes each side until warmed through and slightly caramelized.

Brush unagi with unagi sauce while heating so it becomes glossy and sticky. Slice into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Pat scallops very dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with 1/2 tsp salt.

Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tsp oil and 1 tbs butter. When butter foams, add scallops spaced apart.

Sear scallops without moving 1.5–2 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook 30–60 seconds more until just opaque in the center.

Remove to serving plate, squeeze a little lemon juice over scallops and garnish with chopped chives.

If using dried wakame, rehydrate per package instructions, drain and squeeze out excess water. Place in a bowl.

Toss wakame with 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 0.5 tsp soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds and optional red pepper flakes. Chill briefly before serving.

On a large platter, arrange each component in its own cluster to resemble a 'honeycomb' variety platter: place the Lobster & Chashu Salad Ball(s) on their microgreen beds toward the center.

Arrange the Chilli Garlic Edamame in a small bowl or cluster next to the salad ball. Fan out Tamago slices nearby.

Place Shrimp Tempura upright or laid out in a row so tails are visible. Put sliced glazed unagi pieces adjacent to the tempura.

Arrange seared scallops in a small cluster, garnish with lemon wedges and chives. Spoon seaweed salad into a small mound or ramekin.

Add pickled ginger, microgreens, edible flowers and small dollops of wasabi around the platter for color and palate cleansers. Serve immediately while tempura and scallops are warm.