For another healthy salmon recipe, make honey teriyaki salmon next.
The salmon: Salmon, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, honey, and soy sauce. To serve: short-grain rice, cucumber, radishes, avocado, sesame seeds, and sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo. Furikake or seaweed snacks: We love topping our bowls with seaweed – you can find it in many supermarkets in the Asian foods section, in Japanese specialty stores, Asian grocers, or online.
How to skin your salmon
This recipe works best with the skin removed. If you’ve never taken off salmon skin before, note that it’s best done with a sharp knife rather than by peeling it off with your hands. To do this, start by laying your salmon down on a cutting board with the tail side facing you. Grab a sharp knife, and make a cut at the tail end, straight down until you reach the skin. Grip the edge of the skin from the cut part and angle your knife so the shard edge is facing the rest of the salmon. Pull the skin towards you, gently rocking it back and forth, keeping the skin tight. Keep going until you have a beautiful, skinned salmon. I have a whole tutorial on how to remove salmon skin if you want more detailed instructions with pictures.
Keep if fresh: While fresh is best, if you live in an area where salmon is scarce, frozen salmon may be your saviour. Check your local seafood counter and ask what’s fresh. Wild caught: The flavor of wild-caught salmon is often tastier than that of farmed salmon. If your best option is a farmed salmon, look for some that has been sustainably sourced. Thickness: You’ll use your salmon to make bite-sized cubes, so look for salmon filets that are around an inch thick. Selecting a filet that is evenly thick also aids with even cooking. Steelhead: Steelhead salmon is a type of ocean-going trout that looks and tastes a lot like salmon, but it is fattier so it doesn’t become dry if it’s overcooked. It’s our fav! Always ask: If you have any questions, your fishmonger is a great person to chat to. They’ll be able to give you insights.
Sushi rice: This short-grain rice has a higher starch content which makes it deliciously sticky when cooked! Jasmine rice: This sticky, short-grain white rice is slightly sweet and delicious. Lower carb: For a carb-free option, serve your salmon bites next to cauliflower rice. Brown rice: While it takes longer to cook than white rice, brown rice contains more fiber. You can find instant brown rice which takes around 5-10 minutes to cook. Flavored rice: Coconut rice adds a creamy lusciousness to the rice, but ginger rice or turmeric rice work great, too! Fried rice: You can also serve your salmon bites over fried rice, like this pineapple fried rice. Basmati rice: If you’ve got good old basmati rice in your cupboard, it’ll work just great!
Toppings: Mix up the toppings! Staying within the theme of Asian cooking will mean your flavors are cohesive, so consider ingredients like edamame, roasted sweet potato, avocado cubes, sliced cabbage, bok choy, snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, or miso mushrooms. Garnish: A garnish of chopped chives or green onions adds a little freshness. Fruit: If you’re craving a tropical addition to your salmon and rice, add some pineapple salsa for a sweet flavor contrast. Fish: We love the flavors and cooking method in this recipe with salmon, but you could also make it with tuna steaks, cod or halibut. Cooking times may vary. You can swap it out for salt and pepper fish, bang bang shrimp, or salmon cakes, too. Mayo: We enjoy salmon and rice with wasabi mayo or sriracha mayo, but you could use kimchi mayo or another dressing of your choice.
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