First, cut the salmon fillets (skin-on or skinless) into bite-sized chunks.

Sprinkle salt over the salmon pieces and let them sit for 10 minutes.

Salt tightens the protein structure of the salmon while drawing out water and trimethylamine compounds responsible for that fishy odor. If you want to get even better results, you can add a splash of sake to this step, as alcohol helps dissolve odor-causing compounds more effectively.

While you wait, be sure to measure out all the ingredients and divide them by the time you add them! Smooth and timely cooking is very important for fried rice!

After 10 minutes, pat the salmon dry with paper towels to get rid of any moisture and odor compounds.

Then, lightly dust the salmon pieces with cornstarch.

If you want to get perfect results, use refrigerated Japanese rice. When rice is cooked fresh, it’s got a lot of moisture, and the starch granules are all swollen up. If you refrigerate it overnight, the starch will retrograde (crystallize), which makes the grains less sticky. This makes it perfect for fried rice.

Start by heating your wok over medium-low heat, and then add your cooking oil (if you want more intense flavor, you can use lard).

Cook the dusted salmon skin-side down, along with the ginger and mushrooms. The gentle cooking lets the fat render from the skin, so the salmon cooks through without getting tough or dry.

When the salmon is cooked on both sides, crank the heat up high and move the cooked ingredients to the side of the wok. Just crack the eggs into the empty space and scramble them until they’re half-cooked.

Add the rinsed, drained rice to the scrambled egg.

Then add the dashi granules, chicken bouillon powder, the white part of the Japanese leek (or a regular leek), and the smoked paprika powder (my secret ingredient to add depth with its smoky aroma and sweetness!). Mix everything together so the egg covers the rice grains. Keep the wok on the heat without tossing it too much – home stoves don’t generate enough heat to keep the wok at a steady temperature when you lift it up too frequently.

When the rice is fluffy and mixed with the eggs, pour soy sauce around the wok rim instead of on top of the rice.

Add butter, sugar, salt, and white pepper. For the salt and pepper, taste as you go and adjust the amount to your liking. I added ¼ tsp and ⅛ tsp respectively.

The fat in butter adds a richness that pairs great with salmon, and the slight sweetness of sugar balances out the savory flavors. White pepper provides subtle heat without visual interruption or the stronger aromatic profile of black pepper.

Once everything’s mixed together, add lemon juice and a bit of sesame oil, then take it off the heat right away. Give it a stir to mix it all together, using the residual heat.

Garnish with white sesame seeds and chopped mitsuba (Japanese parsley) just before serving.

If you can’t find mitsuba, you can substitute it with chopped shiso leaves (perilla) or green onions. If you want to mix things up a bit, you could try topping it with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend), a drizzle of chili oil, or even some crispy garlic chips.

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While you wait for the salmon, melt butter with olive oil together in a frying pan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and continue cooking on low heat.

Watch carefully as the garlic transforms from its raw white color to a beautiful golden brown.

When the garlic has reached the ideal golden color, add the rice to the pan. Immediately pour the sake (or dry white wine as an alternative) over the rice. Use a spatula to break up any clumps, making sure each grain is coated with the aromatic garlic-infused oil.

At this point, increase the heat to medium.

Once the rice and garlic have thoroughly combined, season with salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley. Continue mixing to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the rice.

Allow the rice to cook until the grains have separated and some parts begin to develop a slight crispness. Next comes the flavor-sealing final touch – pour soy sauce down the side of the pan rather than directly onto the rice.

This technique allows the soy sauce to heat quickly against the hot pan before it reaches the rice, developing more complex flavors.

Mix everything thoroughly to incorporate the soy sauce evenly throughout the dish. Then turn off the heat and let the rice stand in the pan until serving.

5 minutes before the salmon is finished resting with the salt, heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Throw in your asparagus, along with a bit of salt and pepper. Fry for 4-8 minutes depending on the thickness, then add the enoki mushrooms and stir fry for a further 1-2 minutes.

Delicate varieties of mushrooms like enoki, only takes 1-2 minutes. If using other kinds of mushrooms, add them to the pan earlier to allow enough time to cook together with the asparagus.

Once cooked, transfer to a warm plate. We will reuse the pan, so turn off the stove and save the pan for later.

After the salmon has rested, check that the surface is dry again, the salt will have drawn out more moisture so you’ll likely need to pat them with kitchen paper once more. Then, lightly coat the salmon all over with a thin, even layer of all-purpose flour.

Shake off any excess flour as it can burn in the pan.

Next, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan you used for the mushrooms and heat it to medium-high. Pop the salmon in there, skin side down. Use a spatula to press down on the salmon for the first 30 seconds to make sure the skin touches the pan.

Cook until the skin is golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness.

When the skin is crispy, carefully take the salmon out of the pan and set it aside – it should not be fully cooked at this point. Now for a crucial step that a lot of people might skip: wipe the pan clean with paper towels.

The oils and juices that accumulate during the initial frying contain compounds that can impart a fishy odor to your final dish.

After cleaning the pan, turn the heat down low and add the butter. Once the butter’s melted but not browned, put the salmon back in the pan, again skin-side down.

Now, use the French arrosé technique (baste) by tilting the pan and collecting the melted butter in the pan. Then, use a spoon to continuously ladle the hot butter over the flesh side of the salmon.

This basting technique is key for even cooking and getting that perfect flavor. The hot butter really brings the heat in a way that hits the top of the salmon while also infusing it with flavor.

To make sure everything goes just right, tilt the pan a bit away from you, grab the butter with a spoon, and pour it over the salmon’s flesh side every 3-4 seconds. Keep going for about 1-2 minutes until the salmon’s flesh turns opaque but remains moist.

When the salmon is fully cooked (it’s opaque throughout but still moist), remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Let it rest until the sauce is ready.

Placing the salmon on a rack prevents it from sitting in its own juices or excess butter, which would make the crispy skin soggy.

In the same pan, add more butter, soy sauce, mirin, and light brown sugar. Cook this mixture over low heat for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, to create a smooth, emulsified sauce.

This combo is what we Japanese call “bata shoyu” (butter soy sauce), affectionately known as the “golden combo.” The fats in butter help carry the umami compounds in soy sauce, while the glutamic acid in soy sauce enhances the butter’s richness.

Keep the heat very low to prevent the sauce from breaking (separating) and burning. Both butter and soy sauce can burn easily.

Gently reheat the garlic rice if necessary, then make a bed of garlic rice on each serving plate and put the salmon on top with the skin-side facing up.

Then arrange the asparagus and mushrooms next to the salmon. Pour the butter-soy sauce over and around the salmon.

Garnish with a sliced lemon and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

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Begin by combining water and kombu (dried seaweed) in a large pot to make the base stock. Allow to steep at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

This steeping time allows the kombu to release its natural umami compounds without becoming bitter.

While the kombu is soaking, prepare all the vegetables, salmon and other ingredients.

• Tofu: Large cubes
• Carrots: Rounds
• Onions: Sliced
• Shiitake mushrooms: Stems removed
• Leeks: Diagonally sliced and decorated (if you like)
• Potatoes: Peeled and thickly sliced
• Cabbage: Roughly cut

Preparing everything before cooking ensures a smooth cooking process!

After 30 minutes, place the pot over medium heat. Watch carefully – when small bubbles begin to form, but before it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to low and remove the kombu. Add sake, mirin and soy sauce to complete the base stock.

Place the ingredients in the pot in layers, starting with the items that will take the longest to cook: place the harder vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, on the bottom, followed by the cabbage and mushrooms, then the seafood on top.

Increase the heat to medium-high and once the broth is bubbling, cover and cook continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the root vegetables are fork-tender and the salmon is cooked through.

Once the vegetables are tender, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Using a miso strainer or fine-mesh sieve, slowly add the miso paste to the broth, stirring gently to incorporate.

Add butter just before serving to enrich the broth.

Portion into individual serving bowls, and sprinkle a bit of sansho pepper if you have it.

After enjoying the main ingredients, cook the udon noodles in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and add to the remaining broth for a satisfying finish to your meal.

The concentrated broth creates a flavorful noodle dish!

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Cut the carrots and potatoes into bite-sized chunks.

Give the potatoes a five-minute soak in cold water to get rid of any excess starch.

While you’re waiting for the potatoes, heat a small pot of water. Once boiling, blanch the snowpeas for 1 minute, then drain and set aside for later. You can cut them in half once they’re cool enough to touch, then use them as a garnish at the end.

If you’re looking for a quicker option, you can just add the raw snow peas directly to the dashi (soup) with the other vegetables. While blanching makes for a nicer presentation and texture, both methods work perfectly well.

Once soaked, put the drained potatoes and carrots in a microwave-safe bowl with a tablespoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high (600W) for about three minutes to partially cook them.

This step is to speed up the cooking process and save time. If you don’t have a microwave, you can parboil the vegetables in a pot of boiling water or use a steamer to steam them instead.

Tip: I don’t recommend boiling the potatoes directly in the dashi as this can make your soup cloudy and starchy.

In a large pot, mix together the dashi stock, the parboiled carrots and potatoes, and the mushrooms.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the vegetables are softened to your liking.

While the broth is warming up, heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon fillets with a little salt and fry them until they’re nicely browned on both sides, which should take about 3 minutes per side.

Once cooked, take them off the heat. Ideally, try and time this so that the salmon is ready at the same time as the soup.

Once you’re happy with the vegetables, turn off the heat and mix in your miso paste.

Split the soup between the serving bowls. Now, add the seared salmon fillets and blanched snow peas. Top each bowl with a small slice of butter and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.

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In a bowl that can handle the heat, mix the cooked rice with soy sauce, aonori powder, and toasted sesame oil.

This mixture is the base for your crispy rice. Heat up your oven to 230°C (450°F).

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the rice mixture evenly across the paper, making sure it’s thin enough to crisp up properly. Next, place slightly oiled and salted salmon fillets, skin-side down, next to the rice.

This setup lets both items cook at the same time, which makes the most of the oven’s efficiency.

While the oven is heating up, mix all the dressing ingredients together until they’re well combined.

Thaw the frozen edamame by soaking it in room temperature water.

Once the oven is up to temperature, put the tray in the upper third of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.

During the baking time, cut the cucumber into small pieces and dice the avocado. If you’re using edamame in the pods, go ahead and pop them out of their pods now. It’s a good idea to prep these ingredients while the rice and salmon are cooking. That way, everything is ready for assembly at the same time.

After baking, transfer the salmon to a clean work surface. Carefully separate the crispy skin from the flesh. Flake the salmon meat into bite-sized pieces.

The skin will be used as a garnish, adding textural contrast to the salad.

In a salad bowl, mix together the cut vegetables, flaked salmon, and crushed crispy rice. Top with pieces of the crispy salmon skin.

Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and give them a gentle toss to make sure all the pieces are evenly coated. Serve right away to enjoy the contrasting textures at their best.

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In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. This mixture is key to giving sushi rice its distinctive flavor.

Pour it over freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice and gently mix with a rice paddle or silicone spatula, being careful not to crush the grains.

As you mix, fan the rice to help it cool faster.

Once mixed, cover the rice with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cut the sashimi-grade salmon into thin sticks. Finely chop the green onions and takuan (pickled daikon). The fine chopping helps to ensure an even distribution in the roll and balances the flavors.

Make sure you have a bowl of cold water to wet your hands (this will stop the rice from sticking), a small dish of wasabi, and a bamboo rolling mat ready.

Split each nori sheet in half by folding it along the crease or using scissors, with the shiny side down.

Just a heads-up: The shiny side should be on the outside of the roll (facing down), while the rough side faces up.

Line up the nori sheet with the bottom edge of the bamboo mat, with the rough side facing you, and get ready to roll.

Wet your hands with the cold water and take about 65 grams of rice, forming it into a rough cylinder.

Put the rice on the bottom edge of the nori and spread it gently across to the other side, leaving about a finger-width border at the top.

Wetting your hands helps keep the rice from sticking, and using a slightly smaller amount of rice (65g instead of my usual 80g) allows more space for fillings. Once you’ve spread the rice, pinch the top edge to create a small ridge along the border.

This will help you roll the rice up into the nori.

If you’re using wasabi, just spread a little across the center of the rice.

Then, add a thin layer of chopped green onions and pickled daikon along the middle of the rice.

Finally, add the salmon sticks to the center. Just a heads-up: Don’t overfill the roll, or it’ll be tricky to roll and cut.

Line the bottom of the nori with the edge of the bamboo mat. Now, just lift the bottom edge of the mat and roll it over the fillings, pulling it up to meet the top edge of the rice “ridge.”

Gently but firmly press to secure the roll, then lift the bamboo mat and continue rolling until the empty border of nori seals the roll.

Once you’ve rolled it all the way up, use the bamboo mat to gently press the roll and make sure it’s all the way shaped.

Use a sharp knife to cut the roll in half. To get a clean cut, use a quick, sharp sawing motion, pushing the knife forward first, then pulling it back.

Just wipe the blade with a damp cloth between each cut to keep the rice from sticking.

Once you’ve cut it in half, cut each half into thirds to create six even pieces.

Arrange the sushi rolls on a plate and serve with soy sauce for dipping. Enjoy these fresh salmon sushi rolls with the crisp bite of takuan and the mild heat of green onion!

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First, let’s get our salmon fillets ready. Gently pat them with kitchen paper to soak up any extra moisture.

Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over the fillets and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This longer resting time allows the salt to draw out more moisture containing fishy odor compounds through osmotic pressure.

After 10 minutes, give the fillets another good pat with paper towels to soak up the accumulated liquid.

Next, fill a pot with enough water to cover the salmon fillets and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, immediately turn down the heat to low so it’s just barely simmering. The gentle heat is key to preserving the salmon’s moisture and preventing it from becoming tough and dry.

Place the salmon in the water and let it simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, take the salmon out of the water and put them in a dish or bowl.

Once the salmon has cooled just enough to handle, gently peel off the skin. The skin should separate easily at this stage.

Now, using a wooden spatula or chopsticks, gently break up the salmon along its natural muscle fibers. This creates those beautiful, tender flakes we’re looking for. A wooden tool applies just the right amount of pressure without mashing the fish.

Don’t worry if the salmon isn’t completely cooked in the center. It’s going to cook more later on.

Now’s a good time to check for pin bones. Even if the fillets are labeled “boneless,” there might still be some small bones left. Just run your fingers over the flaked salmon and use tweezers or fish bone pliers to get rid of any bones you find.

Now it’s time to build the flavor. Heat a frying pan over low to medium-low heat.

Put a frying pan over low to medium-low heat and melt some butter. When the butter’s melted, mix in the salmon flakes, a splash of sake, a bit of mirin, and salt.

Slowly cook it until the liquid is almost gone.

Remove from heat at precisely this stage – before the mixture becomes completely dry. The flakes will continue to dry slightly as they cool, so stopping slightly before they seem done ensures they’ll be perfectly moist when served.

Just before removing from heat, gently fold in soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds, which add a wonderful nutty flavor and pleasing texture contrast to the soft salmon flakes.

If you want to store salmon flakes, allow the salmon flakes to cool completely before storing. Placing hot food in a covered container traps steam, which condenses and creates moisture droplets.

Place the salmon flakes in a clean container and once cooled, cover and refrigerate.

Enjoy with a bowl or rice or use as a rice ball filling!

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Cook short-grain Japanese white rice using your preferred method. Once cooked, transfer to a wide container and make sushi vinegar by mixing salt, sugar and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the homemade sushi vinegar over the rice while still hot and mix thoroughly but gently enough not to crush the grains. For a more detailed guide to making sushi rice, check out my ultimate sushi rice recipe here.

Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.

If using any cooked toppings, prepare them in advance and leave them to cool before assembling the sushi.

If you buy sashimi grade fish in a block, you will need to thinly slice it. Refer to my tuna, yellowtail and salmon sashimi articles for detailed guides on how to cut.

Prepare your vegetables with decoration in mind. Raw vegetables that don’t need cooking are most often used for temarisushi. I recommend using a peeler or mandoline slicer to ensure they’re thin and flexible enough to wrap around the sushi rice.

Soak sliced cucumber in lightly salted water to improve the taste and stop them from drying out.

I only used cucumber, but other popular options include red radishes, red daikon and pickled ginger.

If you would like to make kinshi tamago (Japanese egg crepe) for an additional topping, refer to my hiyashi chuka recipe for step-by-step instructions.

Once you’ve finished preparing the toppings, you are ready to assemble!

Divide the rice into portions of 25-30g, which is equal to about 2 tbsp of rice. Consider the size of your ingredients; if they’re on the thicker side, aim for the lower end to prevent the Temarizushi from becoming too big (they should be bitesize). Lightly wet your hands with cold water and roll into a rough ball.

Place your ingredients of choice on a piece of plastic wrap. The side you want to show on top should be facing down.

Place the ball of rice in the center.

Shape into a ball with the plastic wrap and twist the ends to tighten. This will press the topping against the rice and secure it.

Once secured, unwrap and place it on a serving plate. Repeat these steps, reusing the plastic wrap as you go to prevent waste.

Experiment with different cuts and ingredient combinations to create a beautiful and unique display.

I experimented with different cuts of cucumber.

Add your choice of decorative toppings and serve with soy sauce and wasabi (optional).

Enjoy!

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i. Lay each aburaage on a board and roll firmly with a rolling pin (or a round chopstick/bottle) to loosen the inner layers. This breaks the delicate web inside so the pouch opens cleanly later and fills without tearing.

ii. You’ll feel the tofu become slightly more pliable and see faint lines appear. Stop before it cracks. If one does split, keep that piece for the “open-face” topping style explained later.

i. Bring a pot of water to a vigorous boil (100℃/212°F) and add the pouches.

ii. Keep them submerged with a drop lid or heatproof plate for 2 minutes. This “aburanuki” blanch removes factory oil so the tofu absorbs seasoning instead of repelling it.

iii. You’ll smell the raw oil fade. If the water goes cloudy, you’re doing it right. If you can’t submerge them fully, rotate with tongs to expose all sides.

iv. Tip the pouches into a sieve, rinse under cold water to stop carryover heat, then gently press between palms to remove excess water. This prevents diluted seasoning later and cools them for clean handling.

v. Use a sharp knife to trim 2-3 mm off one short edge. That clean cut will be your opening.

i. In a small pan, combine light soy sauce, dashi stock, mirin, and sugar. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Aim for a gentle simmer.

ii. Once you no longer smell alcohol, slide the pouches into the broth.

iii. Reduce to a gentle simmer (about 85-96℃/185-205°F), and cover with a drop lid so every piece stays submerged.

iii. Cook until the liquid reduces to about one-third. Avoid vigorous stirring, swirl the pan if needed. If it reduces too quickly, add a splash of water to prevent scorching.

i. Transfer pouches and liquid to a shallow, lidded container; let steam dissipate, then chill to 4℃ (40°F) before sealing.

ii. Rest at least 1 hour (overnight is best) so the seasoning migrates evenly from surface to center.

i. Stir rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Spread hot, just-cooked rice in a wide pan or bowl. Drizzle the vinegar mixture.

ii. Then fold with a paddle while fanning until the grains turn glossy and separate yet still tender.

i. Working one at a time, pinch the trimmed edge and gently separate to form a pocket. If you feel resistance, wiggle a fingertip inside to release the inner layer rather than pulling hard.

ii. Divide the rice into equal portions, roughly 45-60 g (1½-2 oz) for standard inari. With wet hands, press each portion into a compact barrel that holds together without squeezing out starch. If rice sticks, re-wet your hands. If it crumbles, it’s too cool, cover briefly to trap warmth.

iii. Nestle a rice log into each pouch and tuck the edges around it.

iv. Use the back of a damp spoon to coax the rice into corners, keeping the top surface slightly domed.

v. Fold excess skin over itself once or twice to create a neat seam.

vi. Then flip seam-side down so it self-seals under its own weight. The surface should look satin-glossy and springy to the touch.

i. For modern open-face inari (nose-inari), trim the folded flap off, leaving ~1 cm of tofu rim to “wall” the rice.

ii. Stand the pouch up.

iii. Spoon on toppings, pressing lightly so they adhere.