Sesame Salmon and Crunchy Veggie Rice Bowls
This recipe was inspired by a photo and recipe that appeared in the Food section of The Washington Post. We followed the newspaper recipe's directions to coat the salmon, and then followed our own path for the dressing and mix-ins. You can certainly customize the bowls to your own taste and refrigerator’s contents—we love the crunch provided by the cucumbers and carrots. This recipe has everything you need to be a one-dish meal!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
- 3 Tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
- 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillet (use wild Alaskan salmon if possible),
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds (use a combination of white and black if you have both), toasted if desired
- 1 cucumber diced about 2 cups
- 1 - 2 carrot finely diced 2 cups
- 3 - 4 scallions dark and light green parts, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce (or use any variety) (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the rice according to the package directions, unless you are using frozen rice, in which case you can wait until a few minutes before serving. When the rice is cooked, stir in 1 Tbsp. mirin, and cover the rice until ready to prepare the bowls.
- Line a baking sheet with enough foil to fit under the salmon fillet. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate, and dip the flesh of the salmon, including the sides, in the seeds.
- Place it on the foil and press sesame seeds onto any spots that you missed.
- Bake it for 12 – 15 minutes until it is just cooked through in the thickest part of the fillet. (You can insert a knife to check it. The fish should flake easily, or reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.)
- Meanwhile, dice the vegetables and make the dressing by combining the ginger, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and remaining mirin.
- When the fish is cooked through, remove it from the oven and dice it into small squares (about 3/4-inch).
- Build individual bowls with 1/2 cup rice at the bottom, topped with 1/4 of the vegetables and salmon, and then drizzle the dressing over everything. Serve it immediately.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Cut the salmon fillets into pieces that will fit easily into the slow cooker, if needed. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate, and dip the flesh of the salmon, including the sides, in the seeds. Place each piece of salmon on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fold into individual packets, and press sesame seeds onto any spots that you missed. Fold the aluminum foil around the fillets to form a packet, then stack the packets in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 - 3 hours. Cook the rice in a saucepan, dice the vegetables, make the dressing, and assemble the bowls as directed. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Cook the rice if necessary, dice the cucumber, dice the carrot(s), slice the scallions, peel and mince the ginger, prepare the dressing.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1 – 2 tsp. sriracha sauce to the dressing. Serve it with fresh lime wedges. Mix some sunflower seeds in with the sesame seeds.
Tip: To efficiently chop long vegetables, such as cucumbers and carrots, cut them lengthwise into halves or quarters first, then line up the halves or quarters and chop them into smaller pieces.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 516, Total Fat: 28g, 43%; Saturated Fat: 5g, 22%; Cholesterol: 84mg, 28%; Sodium: 335mg, 14%; Total Carbohydrate: 33g, 11%; Dietary Fiber: 5g, 15%; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 33g
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