Cheater's Teriyaki Salmon

Teriyaki is such a common thing to find on menus at many Japanese restaurants. From chicken, to beef, to fish or shrimp, it's popularly served in bento boxes.



This is my cheater's version of teriyaki salmon, as it's not "teriyaki" in the truest sense. Teri refers to the shiny coating on the exterior due to the sauce, while yaki refers to the cooking method, either grilled or broiled. Here, I've simplified the recipe by simply roasting the salmon, making for a great weeknight recipe.



I served the salmon with some noodles (which I tossed with a small drizzle of sesame oil and some leftover teriyaki sauce) and boiled scallions and baby bok choy. I also made Kabocha no nimono, simmered kabocha pumpkin, boiled in dashi and shoyu-base that brings out the sweetness in the pumpkin. You get incredibly tender bites of pumpkin—this is sure to be a hit amongst young children.



Roasted Teriyaki Salmon
Serves 2

2 four-ounce skinless salmon fillets
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce to a boil and allow sauce to thicken and become glossy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry. Marinate the salmon fillets with a bit of the teriyaki sauce (use a brush) for 5 minutes.

Brush the salmon fillets with more of the teriyaki sauce and place on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake salmon fillets for about 8 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Remove fillets from oven. Serve immediately with rice or noodles and boiled or steamed Asian greens, if desired. Drizzle extra teriyaki sauce overtop and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.