Roasted salmon & broccoli bowl

For ➍ 
4 tbs toasted sesame oil 
2 tbs soy sauce or tamari 
1 tbs rice vinegar 
1 tbs honey 
1 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tbs) 
1 garlic clove, finely grated 
500 g broccoli, trimmed & cut into florets, thick stems discarded 
2 scallions, trimmed & cut diagonally into 3 cm segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish 
1 tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon 
salt & black pepper 
4 175 g skin-on salmon fillets 
½ lime, for serving 
sesame seeds, for serving 

Heat oven to 220 °C. Rub the salmon fillet with 1 tbs olive oil and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside. 
Rinse the rice until water runs clear. In a small lidded saucepan, combine the rice, 1 ¼ cups water and 1 tbs olive oil. Season the water to taste with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is plumped. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, on a large sheet pan, toss the broccoli, red onion and remaining 2 tbs olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until tender-crisp and lightly browned. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked rice, roasted broccoli and onions. To the same sheet pan, add the salmon fillet skin side down (if present) and roast until just cooked through, 10 to 14 minutes. While the salmon roasts, add the lemon juice, mustard and anchovies to the bowl with the broccoli mixture and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Flake the salmon (discarding any skin) and add to the bowl. Fold in three-fourths of the watercress. Top with the remaining watercress and serve.

Sheet-Pan & salmon & broccoli with sesame & ginger

For ➍ 

4 tbs toasted sesame oil 

2 tbs soy sauce or tamari 

1 tbs rice vinegar 

1 tbs honey 

1 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated (about 1 tbs) 

1 garlic clove, finely grated 

500 g broccoli, trimmed & cut into florets, thick stems discarded 

2 scallions, trimmed and cut diagonally into 3 cm segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish 

1 tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon 

salt & black pepper 

4 (175 g skin-on salmon fillets

½ lime, for serving 

sesame seeds, for serving 

Heat the oven to 220°C degrees. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tbs sesame oil with the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic until smooth. Set the glaze aside. 

Place the broccoli florets and 1 ½-inch scallion segments on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and the remaining 1 tbs sesame oil. Sprinkle with ½ ts salt and ¼ ts black pepper, toss well and roast for 5 m. 

While the broccoli and scallions roast, place the salmon fillets on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
 

Toss the broccoli and scallions and move to the edges of the pan, clearing spaces in the center for the salmon fillets. 

Place the salmon fillets, evenly spaced, on the center of the pan. Brush the fillets generously with the glaze.


Return the pan to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly rare in the center, about 12 m.
 Squeeze the lime over the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Scatter the sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the salmon, and serve hot.
 

+Cook in the air-fryer. Adapt times.

♥︎Crunchy tofu with paksoi, leek & mushrooms

For ➍ 

400 g tofu 

marinade: 

4 tbs soy sauce 

4 tbs maple syrup 

1 tbs fresh ginger 

2 cloves garlic 

2 ts sesame oil 

2 ts tap water 

2 ts cornflour 

1 ts Sichuan spices 

wok: 

250 g wok noodles 

300 g paksoi 

2 cloves garlic 

2 shallots or 1 (red) onion 

2 spring onions 

1 stalk leek 

250 g mushrooms 

100 g peanuts or cashews 

½ bunch fresh coriander 

4 tbs fried onions optional, to finish [not heart-friendly]

peanut oil 

salt & pepper 

wok sauce: 

2 tbs soy sauce 

2 ts rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar 

2 ts sesame oil 

Cut the block of tofu lengthwise. Place the slices of tofu on a clean kitchen towel. Fold the towel closed and squeeze out the moisture. Place a weight on top and let it drain for a while. In the meantime, finely grate the garlic and ginger. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl. Remove the tofu from under the weight and cut into cubes of 2 cm. Mix with the marinade and make sure all the cubes are well covered. Put  in the refrigerator. 

Cook the wok noodles until al dente. Cook for 1 m less than indicated on the packaging (the noodles will continue to cook in the wok for a while). Save a cup of the cooking liquid to finish the sauce later. Finely chop the shallot and garlic. Cut the leek into fine rings, the pak choi into coarser pieces. Cut the mushrooms into strips. Finely chop the peanuts and coriander. Put everything to one side. Heat a generous dash of peanut oil in a (wok) pan on a high heat. Fry the tofu cubes on all sides until golden brown and crispy. Then remove them from the pan and set aside. Reuse the mixing bowl from the tofu marinade and mix all the ingredients for the wok sauce in it. Set aside. Heat a little new oil in the pan in which you fried the tofu on a medium to high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and fry. Then add the leek, pak choi and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Then add the cooked wok noodles. Mix well. Finally, add the wok sauce and a cup of the cooking water from the noodles. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serve the wok together with the fried tofu. Finish with fresh coriander, peanuts and fried onions(optional).

♥︎Smashed Asian cucumber salad

For ➍ 

2 seedless cucumbers (about 600 g) 

1 ts salt 

2½ ts sugar 

2 ts sesame oil 

3 ts light soy sauce 

1½ tbs rice vinegar 

2-4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) 

1-2 ts chili oil (optional)* 

2 ts toasted sesame seeds 

a small handful of chopped coriander 

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. 

Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside. 

On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections. Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces. 

In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil. Toss it well. 

Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and coriander. 

*If you prefer to omit the chili oil, heat up 1 tbs of oil in a pan and drizzle it over the cucumber. 

Easy miso sauce for noodles

For ➍ 

1 heaping tbs white miso paste 

1 tbs plain peanut butter or Chinese sesame paste 

1 tbs toasted sesame oil 

½ tbs chili garlic sauce, adjust according to desired spice 

½ tb soy sauce 

1 ts dark soy sauce, optional for colour 

½ tbs maple syrup or other sweetener like mirin

½ tbs rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar 

1 ts minced garlic 

1 scallion chopped 

Mix everything together. Add to the boiled and drained noodles.

Salmon poke tower

For /➊➋➌➍➎➏➐➑➒➓/
raw salmon in pieces, marinated with soy sauce & sriracha mayo
pieces of avocado
seaweed salad
cooked edamame
sliced spring onion
mix of sesame & poppy seeds

Place the ingredients in the ring. Press each layer well. Create a layer with
rice,
cucumber,
marinated salmon,
avocado,
seaweed salad,
edamame beans,
spring onion.
Squeeze a strand of sirarcha mayo over the ingredients.
Sprinkle with mix of sesame and poppy seeds.
Serve.

Ginger steamed cod with chilli soy sauce

For ➍
dipping sauce:
8 cl low sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 tbs rice vinegar
2 ts minced red chilli
1 ts minced garlic
1 ts sugar
cod:
1 tbs peanut oil
1 ts sesame oil
300 g baby pak choi, trimmed & halved lengthwise
170 g shiitake or crimini mushrooms, halved
1 piece (7.5 cm) ginger, peeled & julienned
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 cod fillets (150-170 g each), fresh, thawed or frozen*

Thoroughly mix dipping sauce ingredients; set aside.
In a deep frying pan, sauté pak choi and mushrooms in peanut and sesame oils over medium-high heat until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.
Wipe pan clean. Bring 2.5 cm of water to boil; turn off heat. Place metal steamer basket in pan and open up sides. Portion ginger and ¾ of green onions in basket. Rinse any ice glaze from frozen cod under cold water; place fillets in steamer. Return water to boil; cover loosely and steam just until fish is opaque throughout, about 5 to 7 m. (Reduce cook time by half for fresh or thawed fillets.)
Serve cod over sautéed vegetables with dipping sauce; garnish with remaining green onion slices.

*Substitute pollock or sole fillets for cod, adjusting cook time for smaller fillets if necessary.

Shika tataki (deer tataki with vegetables)

For ➍
600 g deer (or hind) fillet
200 g fine green beans
200 g pod peas
2 carrots
2 lemons juice
ginger 3 cm
½ red pepper
4 tbs sesame seeds
1 dl soy sauce
1 dl rice vinegar
1 tbs raw cane sugar
2 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper

Cut the ends of the beans and pod peas. Blanch  them (and eventually the carrots) for 3-6 m in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain and scare into ice water so they retain their green color. Peel the carrots and cut into long pieces of 1 cm wide. Then cut them into thin strands with the peeler. (Raw, not when blanched).
Prepare the sauce. Peel, grate and squeeze the ginger. Mix the ginger with the lemon juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and raw cane sugar.
Put a pan on the fire with olive oil and heat it.
Season the deer fillet with salt and pepper. Crust the meat 1 m on each side. Deglaze with the sauce, let cook for ± 4 m. Turn the meat regularly so that the flavour of the sauce is well absorbed. Bake the meat nice rosé (about 8 m for 400 g).  
Remove the meat from the pan, wrap in a sheet of aluminum foil and let rest for 5 m.
Let the sauce boil until slightly syrupy.
Sprinkle your work surface with sesame seeds. Roll the meat in it to get a crispy sesame crust. Cut the meat into very thin slices.
Divide the beans and pod peas pod on 4 plates. Arrange the thin slices of doe and cover again with the sauce. Finish with the rolled carrot slivers and bring to taste with finely chopped red pepper.
Serve with cooked glass noodles.

Teriyaki salmon rice bowl with spinach & avocado

For ➍
500 g salmon fillet cut into 4 thin portions (skin on is ok)
teriyaki sauce
1 square sheet of nori, cut with a scissors into 2.5 cm strips, then stack the strips & cut crosswise into 2.5 by 0.5 cm confetti*
2 tbs of black or/& white sesame seeds
400 g sushi rice
16 cl homemade seasoned rice vinegar  or bought seasoned rice vinegar
500 g fresh spinach, washed
1 tbs Asian sesame oil
salt
1 bunch scallions, washed, trimmed, & sliced crosswise
1 avocado, peeled, pitted & sliced

Make the teriyaki sauce.
Toast nori and sesame seeds in a hot skillet for 2 m, stirring and tossing constantly just until sesame seeds start to get a little brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the sushi rice. Rinse rice several times to remove excess starchy powder: put rice into a large bowl and cover by an inch with water. Swish rice around with your hands. Pour off cloudy water. Repeat 2 or 3 times more. Drain in a fine mesh colander. Cook rice per package directions. (about 60 cl  water per 400 g rice and a 15 m simmer, covered) Remove rice from heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 m.
While rice is cooking, make seasoned rice vinegar. 
Transfer rice to a large nonmetallic bowl. Slowly pour 16 cl of seasoned rice vinegar over the rice, while tossing and mixing it. Cover bowl with a cloth and set aside.
Cook the spinach: Heat 1 tbs sesame oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add spinach and 2 tbs water to the pan. Cover pan and leave it for 2 m. Uncover and stir. Spinach will be mostly wilted. Cook, stirring for about 1 m more until it is completely wilted. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt. Remove from heat.
Cook the salmon**: Preheat oven to broil and set the rack 20 cm from the top. Place salmon skin-side down on a foil-lined jellyroll pan. Pour 6 cl of teriyaki sauce into a separate small bowl to use for glazing the salmon. Brush salmon with teriyaki sauce and cook for 2 m under the broiler. Pull salmon out of the oven and brush more teriyaki sauce on top. Return to the oven and cook for 1-3 m more, to your desired doneness. Better to undercook it slightly as it will continue to cook a bit even after it's out of the oven. Remove from oven.
Assemble rice bowls: Put rice and spinach in the bottom of a bowl. Lay salmon on top. (skin will peel off easily, if you prefer it skinless) Garnish with avocado slices. Sprinkle with scallions and nori-sesame confetti. Drizzle with teriyaki sauce. Repeat for each bowl.

*Use dried seaweed instead.  Let stand for 5 m in a bowl of water. Discard the water.
**Alternatively, cook the salmon in a frying pan, as they would in Japan. Replace teriyaki with this seasoning mix.
2 fillets salmon with skin (2 fillets =  340 g) (1 to 1.8 cm thickness, skin will hold the flesh together while cooking); ¼ ts salt; freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbs all-purpose flour; ½ tbs neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc); 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs sake
Seasonings: 1 tbs sake (or Chinese rice wine or dry sherry); 1 tbs mirin (or 1 tbs sake + 1 ts sugar); 1 tbs granulated sugar; 2 tbs soy sauce
Combine the ingredients for seasonings and mix well until the sugar is mostly dissolved (or you can microwave for seconds). Rinse the salmon and pat dry. Season the salmon with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.
Sprinkle ½ tbs of all-purpose flour on one side of salmon and spread evenly. Flip over and sprinkle the rest of flour on the other side. Gently remove the excess flour.
In a frying pan, add the vegetable oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Don’t burn the butter. If the frying pan gets too hot, reduce heat or remove from the heat temporally.
Add the salmon fillets, skin side on the bottom (this will be top when you serve). Cook the salmon for 3 m, or until the bottom side is nicely browned.
Add sake and cover with lid. Steam the salmon for 3 m, or until it's cooked through. Remove the salmon to a plate.
Add the seasonings to the pan and increase the heat little bit. When the sauce starts to boil, add salmon back in the pan and spoon the sauce over the salmon.
When the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Plate the salmon on a plate and serve immediately.
http://www.justonecookbook.com/teriyaki-salmon-recipe/
***Make the teriyaki sauce and toast the sesame seeds and nori in advance. Keeps in airtight containers in the fridge for a week or so. The rice is best made fresh.
This is a very adaptable recipe. Eat it hot, cold or at room temperature. Try it with different vegetables like sautéed snow peas, sugar snap peas or asparagus (cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces). Use tofu or chicken instead of salmon.

Seasoned rice vinegar

For ➋➎ cl
25 cl rice vinegar
3 tbs sugar
2 ts salt

In a small saucepan bring rice vinegar, sugar and salt to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
Use in sushi rice.