Grilled Salmon Ochazuke with Toasted Sesame and Nori

⏱ 20 min · Serves 2

Japan's most comforting bowl: hot green tea broth poured over warm rice, flaked salt-grilled salmon, crisp nori and a scatter of sesame and scallion. Ten minutes from pan to bowl, and endlessly soothing.

Per serving: 475 kcal · 31.0g protein · 47.0g carbs · 17.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (about 120g each), skin on
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (for salting the salmon)
• 1 tsp neutral oil
• 300g cooked short-grain Japanese rice, warm
• 500ml just-boiled water (around 80C)
• 2 tsp sencha green tea leaves (or 2 green tea bags)
• 200ml dashi (or 1 tsp instant dashi powder dissolved in 200ml hot water)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp mirin
• 1 sheet nori, snipped into thin strips
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp wasabi paste (optional)
• 2 tsp umeboshi (pickled plum), torn, or 1 tbsp shredded pickled radish
• Shichimi togarashi, to serve

Method

1. Pat the salmon dry, rub all over with the sea salt and leave for 10 minutes, then blot off the moisture. This firms the flesh and seasons it right through.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon skin-side down for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp, then flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until just opaque. Rest on a board.
3. Meanwhile, steep the sencha in the just-boiled water for 90 seconds, then strain. Don't use fully boiling water or the tea turns bitter.
4. Combine the strained tea with the warm dashi, soy sauce and mirin. Taste: it should be lightly savoury, like a delicate broth. Keep hot.
5. Flake the salmon into large pieces, discarding any bones. Crisp the skin further in the hot pan for 30 seconds if you like, then snip into shards.
6. Divide the warm rice between two deep bowls. Top with the salmon, umeboshi, spring onion, sesame seeds and most of the nori.
7. Pour about 350ml of the hot tea broth around the edge of each bowl, so the toppings stay proud above the liquid.
8. Finish with the remaining nori, the crisp skin shards, a dab of wasabi and a pinch of shichimi. Eat immediately with a spoon and chopsticks.