Salmon Teriyaki Onigirazu

Ingredients:

For the onigirazu

• 1 sheet nori

• 1 cup cooked Japanese short-grain rice (warm) - MY RICE COOKER

• ⅛ tsp salt

• 1 fillet teriyaki salmon

• Avacado 

• Onigirazu Mold

For the teriyaki salmon:

The salmon:

• 2 skin-on salmon fillets

• ¼ tsp salt

• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) 

• ½ Tbsp neutral oil for cooking

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (for cooking)

• 1 Tbsp sake

Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp sake

• 1 Tbsp mirin

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp sugar

Step by step:

Teriyaki Salmon:

To Make the Teriyaki Sauce

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce: Mix well to dissolve the sugar. To help dissolve the sugar, you can microwave the mixture for 30 seconds.

To Prepare the Salmon

1. Rinse 2 skin-on salmon fillets and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

2. Sprinkle the flour on both sides of the fillets and dust off excess flour

To Cook the Salmon

1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add ½ Tbsp neutral oil and 1 Tbsp unsalted butter.  Next, sear the salmon skin: One fillet at a time, press the skin against the hot pan‘s surface for 15 seconds before laying the fillet skin side down in the pan.

2. Cook the salmon for 3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown, and then flip.

3. To the pan, add 1 Tbsp sake—1 Tbsp for thin fillets and no more than 2 Tbsp for thicker fillets. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the stove‘s heat to low. Steam the salmon for about 3–5 minutes, depending on the fillet thickness. If the sake has evaporated but the salmon isn‘t cooked through yet, add another tablespoon of sake and continue steaming.

4. Cook the salmon until it registers an internal temperature of 125–130°F (52–54ºC) at the thickest part of the fillet. Then, transfer the salmon to a tray or plate.

5. Add the teriyaki sauce ingredients to the pan and increase the heat a bit. When the sauce starts to boil, add the salmon back to the pan.

6. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. When the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Transfer the salmon to a plate and drizzle the sauce on top.

Onigirazu:

1. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Put 1 sheet nori on top with the shiny side down. Rotate the sheet 45 degrees so a corner points up.

2. Divide 1 cup cooked Japanese short-grain rice into 2 portions. In the center of the nori sheet, evenly spread a thin layer of one portion of rice in a square/rectangular shape. I used this onigirazu mold

3. Place 1 fillet teriyaki salmon and avocado on top.

4. Place a thin layer of steamed rice on top, If you have an onigirazu mold, moisten the “lid” before you press down so the rice does not stick to it. Place the lid on top and press gently. Pull up the mold carefully while pressing down on the lid. 

5. Bring the left and right corners of the nori sheet towards the center. Fold gently but tightly to wrap around the rice and filling at the center. Then, bring the bottom and top corners towards the center. Continue to fold gently but tightly around the layers.

6. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Cut the onigirazu with a sharp knife. Run your knife blade under running water before cutting so that the cross-section will be clean.

RECIPE CREDIT: Just One Cookbook