If I were to pick a favorite food, I would definitely choose sushi. Kinda funny, because as kids, we lived in Japan, and I was terrified of sushi back then. I would order “kappamaki” (plain cucumber roll) every time we got it and would never branch out. I missed out on eating sushi in the motherland for seven whole years of my life…a true crime! I’ve been trying to rectify that ever since, so now I eat sushi whenever I can! But because sushi is expensive, and I certainly don’t often have sushi-grade fish on hand to make my own, I have to think of different ways to get my sushi fix. This bowl totally does the trick! The best part is that you can customize it to become whatever your favorite sushi roll is, and you can make it different every time. This time around, I used whatever I had on hand (I wasn’t venturing to the grocery store because #quarantine), so I ended up with salmon, cucumber, mango, green onion, cilantro, and lime—a spin on one of my favorite rolls. The bright flavors went so well together, and I highly recommend this combo! It would have been great with some nori too.
Salmon Sushi Bowls yield 4 servings
For the Eel Sauce:
1/3 c mirin
1/3 c low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 c sugar
For the Sushi Rice:
1 1/2 c short-grain sushi rice
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 1/4 tsp sugar
Salmon and Assembly:
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp white miso paste
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
4 5 or 6-oz. salmon filets (or 1 large side of salmon)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 an english cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 a mango, thinly sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Fresh lime wedges, for serving
Other topping ideas: shredded nori, toasted sesame seeds, bell pepper, jalapeño, crab salad, sriracha mayo, whatever you like in a sushi roll!
Method:
Make eel sauce: Add mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Make sushi rice: Rinse rice a few times with cold water until water runs clear. Drain. If using a rice cooker, transfer rice to cooker and add slightly less water than the rice cooker indicates. If cooking on stove, transfer rice to a small saucepan and add 1 3/4 c + 2 tbsp cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until water is evaporated and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes.
While rice is resting, whisk salt, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir mixture into rice and replace cover on rice so it stays warm.
Whisk brown sugar, miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl (you may need to warm it up a little to loosen the mixture). Set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Cook until salmon is nicely browned, 3-5 minutes. Flip over, and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, or until salmon is nearly cooked through. Pour off additional fat from skillet (you may need to momentarily remove the fish from the skillet to do this), then reduce heat to low and add miso mixture. Cook about 1 minute, until glaze begins to thicken. Baste salmon continuously with glaze for 1-2 minutes, until salmon is coated evenly with the glaze.
Remove salmon to a plate. Assemble bowls with rice, salmon, and desired toppings. Don’t skip the squeeze of fresh lime! Top with eel sauce and enjoy.
