Welcome to a culinary journey to East Asia with a spicy sushi salmon recipe! Sushi, a dish originating from Japan, has become a world-renowned delicacy enjoyed by many. My first encounter with sushi was at a quaint Japanese restaurant tucked away in a quiet street, and it was love at first bite. This recipe is a homage to that experience.
This spicy sushi salmon bake dish is an enticing blend of flavors and textures. From the creamy avocado and mayo, the tangy rice wine vinegar, to the spicy sriracha sauce, every bite is a delightful surprise. The crispy nori seaweed sheets provide a contrasting crunch against the soft, succulent salmon.
How To Make Spicy Sushi Salmon Bake
Equipment
To recreate this mouth-watering dish, you will need a 9-inch casserole dish and a sieve. The casserole dish will be used to bake the sushi rice and salmon mixture, giving it the perfect texture. Meanwhile, the sieve is an essential tool for rinsing the sushi rice.
This step is crucial as it removes any excess starch from the rice grains, ensuring your sushi rice is fluffy and not overly sticky.
Ingredients
The heart of any recipe lies within its ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
Sushi Rice
This is the bedrock upon which your sushi will be built. You will need sushi rice, rice wine vinegar (or seasoned rice vinegar), sugar, and salt. The vinegar gives the rice its distinct tang while the sugar and salt balance out the flavors.
Salmon Mixture
Salmon fillets are the star of this dish. They’re seasoned with soy sauce and mixed with furikake seasoning, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sriracha sauce for that spicy kick. Stir to combine.
Toppings
The toppings add another layer of flavor and texture with avocado, cucumber, green onions, nori seaweed sheets, mayo, and unagi sauce (also called eel sauce).
If you’re unable to find any of these ingredients in your local store, don’t worry! Furikake seasoning can be replaced by sesame seeds and chopped seaweed. Similarly, if you’re not a fan of heat, simply omit the sriracha sauce.
Preparation
Now that we’ve got our ingredients sorted let’s get cooking!
For the sushi rice: First off, rinse the sushi rice thoroughly using a sieve under cold water. Then cook the rinsed rice according to package instructions (usually 20 minutes). Once cooked, sprinkle over the rice vinegar, sugar and salt, gently mixing with a spatula.
For the salmon mixture: Season your salmon fillets with soy sauce before either air frying them for 10 minutes at 400° or oven baking at 400° for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness (you can do this while the rice is cooking). Break up the cooked salmon into small pieces using a fork before combining with cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sriracha sauce in a large bowl.
Cooking
Preheat your oven to 425° and line your casserole dish with parchment paper or use cooking spray. Press your sushi rice evenly into your prepared baking dish before sprinkling over some furikake seasoning. Spread your salmon mixture evenly over your sushi rice before baking for 15 minutes until heated through and bubbling slightly.
Serving
Once cooked, top your sushi with a drizzle of mayo, green onion slices, avocado and cucumber. Serve with squares of nori sheets for that authentic sushi feel!
This spicy sushi salmon pairs beautifully with a side of pickled ginger and wasabi for those who enjoy added heat. A glass of chilled sake or green tea would also complement this dish perfectly.
Tips and Tricks
- Substitute Ingredients: If you’re unable to find any of these ingredients in your local store, don’t worry! Furikake seasoning can be replaced by sesame seeds and chopped seaweed. Similarly, if you’re not a fan of heat, simply omit the sriracha sauce. Imitation crab meat is a good substitute for salmon.
- Cooking Salmon: You can season your salmon fillets with soy sauce before either air frying them for 10 minutes at 400° or oven baking at 400° for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can definitely cook the salmon in an oven instead.
- Using Sushi Rice: Rinse the sushi rice thoroughly under cold water using a sieve. This step is crucial as it removes any excess starch from the rice grains, ensuring your sushi rice is fluffy and not overly sticky. After cooking, sprinkle over the rice vinegar, sugar and salt, gently mixing with a spatula.
- Preparing the Dish: Preheat your oven to 425° and line your casserole dish with parchment paper or use cooking spray. Press your sushi rice evenly into your prepared baking dish before sprinkling over some furikake seasoning. Spread your salmon mixture evenly over your sushi rice before baking.
- Serving Suggestion: Once cooked, top your sushi with a drizzle of mayo, green onion slices, avocado slices and cucumber. Serve with squares of nori sheets for that authentic sushi feel! This spicy sushi salmon pairs beautifully with a side of pickled ginger and wasabi for those who enjoy added heat. A glass of chilled sake or green tea would also complement this dish perfectly.
- Storing Leftovers: Leftover sushi salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Trying Other Fish: You can absolutely use other types of fish for this recipe! Tuna or shrimp would also work perfectly.
See Also: Dynamite Sushi Roll
How To Eat Baked Sushi
Baked sushi is a delightful dish that offers a unique twist to the traditional sushi. Here are some tips on how to eat your spicy sushi salmon:
- Using Nori Sheets: Once the sushi is cooked, serve it with squares of nori sheets. Simply scoop a bit of the sushi onto a piece of nori, much like a taco, and enjoy! The crispy nori seaweed sheets provide a contrasting crunch against the soft, succulent salmon.
- Enjoy With Toppings: Top your sushi with a drizzle of mayo, green onion slices, avocado and cucumber for added flavor and texture.
- Pair with Sides: This spicy sushi salmon pairs beautifully with a side of pickled ginger and wasabi for those who enjoy added heat.
- Drink Pairing: A glass of chilled sake or green tea would also complement this dish perfectly.
- Using Chopsticks: If you’re familiar with using chopsticks, feel free to use them. However, baked sushi is more casual and can be enjoyed with a fork or spoon as well.
- Leftovers: If you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Eat chilled or reheat in the microwave.
FAQs
How do I store leftover sushi salmon?
Leftover sushi salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Can I use other types of fish?
Absolutely! Tuna or shrimp would also work perfectly with this recipe.
I don’t have an air fryer, can I still make this recipe?
Yes! You can cook the salmon in an oven instead.
What is sushi bake made of?
Sushi bake, an enticing blend of flavors and textures, is made from sushi rice seasoned with rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. The star of the dish is salmon fillets seasoned with soy sauce and mixed with furikake seasoning, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sriracha sauce.
The dish is topped with avocado, cucumber, green onions, nori seaweed sheets, mayo, and unagi sauce. The sushi rice and salmon mixture are layered in a casserole dish, baked, and served with a variety of toppings for a delightful culinary experience.
Conclusion
Embarking on this culinary adventure may seem daunting at first glance but I promise it’s worth every effort! I encourage you to try making this spicy sushi salmon recipe at home. And don’t forget to share your experiences and pictures in the comments section below.
If you loved this recipe, you might also want to try out other Japanese delicacies like tempura or teriyaki chicken next time. Happy cooking!
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