Ikura (cured salmon roe) has always been special treat for me. It was my favorite topping of sushi as a kid. I had always saved an ikura piece at the end to enjoy, when we had sushi dinner.
Not only in sushi, I have felt that its red jewel like pearls elevate dishes to quite a feast, even a little bit on top of pasta, potato salad, radish salad, or plain steamed white rice.
I got gorgeous fresh salmon roe from local fisher, Indian Candy at a farmers market. Curing salmon roe was one of the seasonal kitchen events in fall when I grew up in Japan.
Yet it is a little work and requiring special handling of natural parasites may be in salmon, there is so many rewarding dishes I can make after that. I was luckily to get fresh one this year, however purchasing already cured ikura from a trusted fisher or seafood market is the best, easy, and safe way!
Ikura is often sold salt cured or soy sauce cured; both works here. Japanese grocery store often carries soy sauce cured ikura and a local fisher in Seattle carries salt cured. Soy sauce cured one has umami and sweetness from soy sauce and sake. Salt cure ones has fresh clean taste.
Here is my favorite rice bowl in fall season. I would like to keep the rice bowl simple to appreciate the rich fattiness and umami from salmon in season and the sweet, briny, and clean flavors of ikura.
Salmon and Ikura Rice Bowl
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
SAlMON FLAKES
- 12 ounces salmon fillets
- Kosher salt, see note
RICE
- 2 cups (Use the cup attached to a rice cooker) Japanese sushi rice, (equal to 1 1/2 US cups ) see note
- 1/2 tablespoon sake
- 1/2 tablespoon mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, see note
- 2 x 3 inches kombu
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
GARNISH
- 4 ounces cured ikura
- Nori flakes (optional)
- Wasabi paste (optional)
Instructions
- Season salmon fillets with salt generously and let it sit in refrigerator at least 2 hours before cooking, preferably overnight.
- Rinse rice under running cold water until the water gets almost clear. Cover the rice with fresh cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rice thoroughly in a strainer for15 minutes. Place the rice in the inner pot of a rice cooker. Add sake, mirin, and salt. Add the water up to the mark of 2 cups for Sushi Rice. Place a kombu on top of rice. Start a rice cooker.
- Preheat broiler. Use paper towels, pat dry salmon fillet. Place a salmon on a rack with a sheet tray. Position the salmon about 6 inches from the heat source and broil until it flakes for a few minutes or more. It is easy to burn so watch it carefully. When it cools enough to handle, flake the salmon. Remove and discard the skin and pin bones
- Once rice is ready, keep the rice cooker unopen to let it steam 10 more minutes. Discard a kombu. Fluff the rice with a rice scoop and mix in the half of salmon flakes and sesame seeds.
- Divide the salmon rice into serving bowls. Place the remaining half of salmon flakes and ikura on top of the rice. Serve with nori flakes and wasabi paste if desired.
Notes
- I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If using Morton Kosher Salt, table salt, or fine sea salt, reduce the amount by half and adjust seasoning to taste.
- If you prefer cooking rice on a pot on stove top, use 1 1/2 US cups of Japanese sushi rice. Rice and water raitio is 1:1 by volume. After rinsing rice, soak rice with fresh cold water for 30 minutes. Once it comes to boil, turn the heat down to low and put a lid on. Simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam for another 10 minutes.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! i want to try it some time.
i also have a question. why did you add a kombu when you cook rice? to add flavor or nutrition?
Thank you Emily for chicking out my recipe!
I added kombu for enhancing umami, not for the flavor (well, it’s all about the flavor at the end.) Umami is all about synergy; umami increases dramatically if two (or three) umami rich ingredients are used together rather than just one. That’s why Japanese dashi is made of Kombu and bonito flakes, as well as Italian like the combination of anchovy and tomatoes. You can get dashi out of only either kombu or bonito, but combining both adds your dashi more depth and rich savory note. I added kombu for my rice, because I thought you can feel strong umami if you eat kombu rice and salted salmon together!
Oh, i see. Thank you Misa!