Salmon Ochazuke (Japanese Tea on Rice)
Ingredients
- 200 g salmon fillets skin-on
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sake optional
- 300 ml dashi stock
- 1 green tea bag approx 2g per teabag
- 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 2 ptns cooked Japanese short-grain rice approx 150g per portion
- ground sesame seeds
- kizami nori (shredded nori)
- finely chopped green onions to garnish
- wasabi paste optional
Instructions
- Dry the surface of 200 g salmon fillets with kitchen paper and rub ½ tsp salt over both sides. Cover and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes (less if the environment is hot).
- 5 minutes before the resting time is over, Preheat the grill or broiler on a medium-high setting. When the salmon has finished resting, pat the salmon dry once more and rub 1 tsp sake over the flesh side.Place the salmon on a wire rack with the skin-side facing the heat source.
- Grill for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is golden and crispy, then turn down the heat to medium and flip the salmon over. Grill the other side for 3-4 minutes or until the flesh is pale and opaque, indicating that it's cooked through.
- Remove the salmon from the grill and peel off the skin.
- Cut the crispy skin into thin slices.
- Place the salmon flesh in a container and break it into flakes. Check for bones and if found, use chopsticks or tweezers to remove them.
- Heat 300 ml dashi stock to approximately 80 °C (176 °F) and then add 1 green tea bag. Brew for 1-2 minutes or increase the time if you prefer a more intense tea flavor.
- Remove the tea bag and add 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu).
- Divide 2 ptns cooked Japanese short-grain rice into serving bowls and sprinkle the top with ground sesame seeds.
- Distribute the salmon flakes and salmon skin on top of the rice, then sprinkle with finely chopped green onions.
- Pour the dashi tea just before serving and sprinkle with kizami nori (shredded nori) and a small blob of wasabi paste (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- To enjoy ochazuke chilled in the summer, simply chill the dashi/tea in the refrigerator before assembling.
- More topping options: Mitsuba leaves, Shredded shiso leaves, Arare (tiny rice crackers), Umeboshi (pitted, chopped), Yuzu zest, Sudachi juice or wedges, Shichimi togarashi, Ikura (salmon roe).
- Serving ideas: Cucumber Pickles, Spinach Ohitashi, Dashimaki Tamago, Napa Cabbage Pickles.
- Eat right away, rice keeps soaking up liquid and turns mushy if left to sit.
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