When it comes to Japanese food, Salmon Teriyaki Bowl is right up there with my all-time favorite, Unagi Don (grilled eel over rice). Cooking with caramelized teriyaki sauce and soft, fatty fish is a winning combo.
A DINNER THAT DOESN’T TAKE FOREVER AND TASTE AS GOOD AS IT DOES AT THE BEST RESTAURANTS
If you’ve ever ordered salmon teriyaki at a Japanese restaurant and found it to be delicious, your family will be asking for this dish on a daily basis once you try it just once.
A SALMON TERIYAKI SHOPPING TRIP
Let me say this about salmon. Besides the obvious recommendation to acquire fresh filets, you should also get some portions that have some nice fat in them, which will make them particularly delectable.
Try to avoid the tail section and instead choose filets with broad white lines of fat near the belly. If you ask the fishmonger respectfully, they should give you what you want.
Salmon belly is a delicacy that may be found for a steal in Asian markets and some supermarket stores. Since they are so delectable, we treat ourselves to them on occasion. Since they are ready quickly, I just pan-fry them on both sides.
When coated in teriyaki sauce, their flavor intensifies. Try this salmon teriyaki bowl with your choice of salmon belly or filets.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE:
- 1 slice of smashed with a cleaver fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup of sake or rice wine
- ¼ cup of mirin
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
FOR THE SALMON:
- 4 4-6 ounces of salmon filets with skin
- 6 cups of cooked Japanese short grain rice
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Fresh ground of black pepper to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Wasabi
- Roasted seaweed sheets
INSTRUCTIONS:
- To begin, prepare the teriyaki sauce by mixing all ingredients (excluding the cornstarch slurry) in a small pot and setting it aside. As a further step, get your salmon ready. Scales may still be attached to certain fish fillets. To remove them, I prefer to use a serrated knife and scrape at them carefully. Wash the salmon and blot it dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle some garlic powder, salt, and pepper on the salmon. The salmon can now have wasabi if desired, rubbed onto each serving.
- Set the oven temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer in the saucepan you set aside earlier. Add the cornstarch mixture and boil, constantly stirring, for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Lower the temperature immediately.
- Put a cast-iron skillet or other heavy, oven-safe pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. The skin side of the salmon should go into the pan first, followed by a little coating of teriyaki sauce. To avoid having the sauce turn bitter from burning, avoid letting it run down the sides of the pan. Cook the fish for three minutes per side on a hot grill.
- Add some additional teriyaki sauce to the salmon, being careful not to let it run off into the pan, and bake in the preheated oven. Apply another coat of sauce to the salmon after 3 minutes and another after another 3 minutes. To check out what’s going on inside a whole salmon, pierce it at the thickest area with a knife and gently distribute the meat. There is a significant transition period between properly cooked salmon and overdone fish, so remove it from the oven early if necessary.
- Take the salmon out of the oven after its final 2 minutes of cooking time. (By the end of roasting time, the salmon will have been in the oven for 8 minutes). Those who want their salmon rare can shorten the cooking time in half.
- Place the salmon on top of the rice and add extra teriyaki sauce to taste. Top with roasted seaweed and toasted sesame seeds. Serve right away the Salmon Teriyaki Bowl with additional teriyaki sauce and wasabi.