Japanese Salmon Teriyaki
Salmon Teriyaki is a traditional Japanese comfort food consisting of cooked Salmon in a glistening sweet and savory sauce bursting with umami flavor. Generally served ‘Don Buri’ in a bowl, over sushi rice with Broccoli or Bok Choy. It’s one of our favorite comfort foods, served in a bowl with chopsticks.
Teriyaki Sauce is very easy to make at home, with minimal ingredients. When the kids were younger, I’d prepare a simpler version of this sauce with just Soy Sauce and Honey to taste; no cooking necessary.
Organic Ingredients, serves 4
1 Lbs Salmon, center cut, skin on
2 Tbsps. Avocado Oil
1 Thumbs worth Ginger
1 Tsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds
3 Spring Onions
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 Cup Tamari Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Sake
1/4 Cup Mirin
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Corn Flour
1 Tbsp. Water
*Please use Tamari Soy Sauce and Dark Brown Sugar for best results.
Method
To make Teriyaki Sauce combine Soy Sauce, Sake, Mirin and Sugar in a saucepan. In a small cup or bowl, mix Corn Flour and Water to dissolve. Add Corn Flour liquid into the saucepan. Bring to low medium heat whisking well for 3 minutes to dissolve the Sugar and cook out the Corn Flour. Turn off heat and set aside.
Cut Salmon into 4 equal strips approx. 2 inches each. (see picture). Season both sides evenly with a sprinkle of Salt & Black Pepper.
Discard green tops of Spring Onion, and cut into thin rounds. (see picture)
Peel Ginger, and cut into 4 even pieces. (see picture)
Heat a large pan to high heat with avocado oil for a good few minutes until the oil gets hot. Once hot, reduce heat to medium and carefully add in Salmon flesh side down, skin side up. Cook for 2 minutes. Carefully flip, add in Ginger around the sides of the Salmon and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off heat and remove Salmon from pan and set aside on a plate. Leave Ginger in pan. Remove Salmon Skin from Salmon. I cook these under the broiler for a few minutes until crisp and give them to the boys to eat. They’re nutrient dense and delicious.
Add Teriyaki Sauce into the pan and bring to medium high heat. Once it starts to bubble add your Salmon back in. Cook for only a minute or two more while spooning the thickening sauce over the Salmon. Remove from heat and plate. Discard Ginger and pour or spoon remaining sauce on top. Garnish with Spring Onion and Sesame Seeds. Serve with steamed Sushi Rice and Broccoli.
Salmon Teriyaki ingredients, mise en place. Left to right, Teriyaki Sauce, Avocado Oil, Sliced Ginger, Spring Onions, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Seasoned Salmon
Start by cooking the Salmon flesh side down to create a nice color on the top.
The Ginger in this recipes simply perfumes the Sauce, gently lifting the flavors.
Salmon skin, seasoned with Salt & Black Pepper broiled for a few minutes until crisp make for a perfect nutrient dense snack for kids.