Salmon Teriyaki

A typical, yet delicious Japanese salmon dish : salmon with teriyaki-style sauce.  In Japan I normally use a fish-grill to grill salmon, but I don’t have it here in Perth so I cook it in the oven.  No need to worry about washing fish-smelling pan afterward and I could chill while the salmon is being cooked in the oven!

The word “teriyaki” means the method of cooking – which the food is brushed with sauce while being grilled.  I call this dish “salmon teriyaki” although there is no such cooking method involved.  It’s just easier for people (non-Japanese) to remember the name.  I can also call it “Salmon with Soy and Ginger Sauce”.  It’s actually more like it.

<Salmon with Soy and Ginger Sauce> serves 2

• 2 salmon fillets (around 350g)
• 3cm ginger
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs mirin
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 cm ginger

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°.
2. Halve the salmon fillets.
3. Slice the 3cm ginger into matchstick shape.
4. Spray alumifoil with oil, and line the salmon.  Sprinkle with salt, and top with the ginger.  Bake in the oven for 20~ 30 minutes until golden.
5. For the sauce: Place soy sauce, mirin, sugar and ginger (sliced into matchstick shape) in a small sauce pan, and bring to the gentle boil to dissolve the sugar, stirling well.
6. Serve with steamed rice.

Grilled Salmon with Tangy Soy

I got a big piece of salmon fillet from a friend the other day.  Salmon is one of my favorite fish – .. well I love all fish though, but salmon is great to eat anytime, on breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I normally eat salmon with rice, such as sushi and porridge, but I love my grandma’s simmered salmon.  She uses only the part near the bones (salmon ara アラ).  The part contains the delicious oil and condensed flavor of salmon.  I’ve never seen a shop selling this in Perth. (people think it’s not edible part, I think)

I grilled the salmon last night and served with steamed rice and tangy soy sauce.  This is a meal you can create in a flash!

<Grilled Salmon with Tangy Soy> serves 2

• 2 fillets salmon
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/8 lemon

Japanese Rice Soup with Salmon (Salmon Zosui)

It’s stormy lately in Perth.  Very strong wind and cold rain.  Warm up your body with this Japanese rice soup with grilled salty salmon

Zosui is a Japanese rice soup made from pre-cooked rice and water.  There is a similar dish called okayu, but okayu is cooked from uncooked rice and to more watery consistency.

Grill the salmon first with seasonings.  The salmon looks so delicious at this point, but it will be added to the simmering rice soup.  Pre-cooked rice is simmered in dashi water with mushroom, then dried wakame, blanched spinach and chopped spring onion will be added.  Mushroom and wakame gives the flavor to the soup too.

<Salmon Zosui> serves 2

salmon:

• 200g salmon fillet (skinned and boned)
• 1 tbs mirin and 1 pinch salt for seasoning salmon

• 500ml (2 cups) water
• 5 cm konbu (dried seaweed sheet)
• 2 dried shiitake mushroom

• 200g cooked rice, cold (I used brown rice)
• 100g oyster mushroom
• 2 bunches spinach
• 1 tbs dried cut wakame
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs sake
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 ~ 1 tsp salt
• chopped spring onion to garnish

Fried Salmon in Dark Vinegar Glaze (Salmon Nanban)

I used to buy white fish Nanban (deep-fried white fish in Nanban sauce) from deli in supermarkets.  It’s vinegary sauce whips the appetite, and the sweetness of the sauce and the onion are best match with steamed rice.

I made this dish with salmon instead of white fish.  The white fish we eat in Japan are different from those in supermarkets here.  You can make this recipe with any white fish, but I thought I’d try it with salmon.  I’m sure you can get the fish (that we eat in Japan) from some shops here too, but I believe almost everyone loves salmon and it’s easy to get from anywhere.

<Salmon Nanban>  serves 2

• 125g x 2 Salmon Fillet
• 1 onion, small
• 1/2 carrot
• 1 red chili, small (optional)
• 4 tbs soy sauce
• 5 tbs vinegar
• 6 tbs sugar

• 1/2 tbs corn flour + 1/2 tbs plain flour to dust
• oil for deep-frying
• 1 tsp corn flour + 1 tsp water

Rice Balls with Roasted Eels (Unagi Balls)

I made this to eat at home, but it’s also a great item for picnic.  It’s such easy to make and looks cute, like temari-sushi (small and ball-shaped sushi). You can add more colors such as red (red ginger), green (green veggie or green pickles), orange (tobikko) …

The good thing is, you don’t even need to make your hands dirty – shape it by using pieces of plastic wrap.

I used normal steamed rice (not vinegared rice) so this is not sushi.  You can use vinegared rice if you like.