Here’s a quick and scrumptious way to serve salmon fillets - I’ve been cooking it for years and always goes down well. The salty-sweetness of the sauce cuts through the richness of the salmon, making this recipe friendly even for the ‘oh I’m not that sure about salmon’ crowd.

You can marinate it in the fridge ahead of time if you like, but don’t worry if you’re in a rush - the fish cooks in the sauce and soaks up the lovely flavours anyway. Cook time really depends how well done you like it (I like mine cooked through, and it takes 12 minutes for a really big piece of salmon). If you’re really in a rush, you can use a pouch of microwave rice.

What’s good about this dish?

Well, firstly it tastes REALLY GOOD, and takes hardly any time or brain power. It’s also an excellent source of quality protein, and omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory, polyunsaturated fats). Why do you want omega-3 fats? Because these work some pretty awesome magic in our bodies.

Omega-3 fats feed into anti-inflammatory pathways, can reduce the incidence of blood clots, and are an important nutrient involved in brain health and cognition.

A diet high in omega three fats helps to address the typical imbalance in the western diet (which tends to be skewed toward the more inflammatory omega-6 > omega-3 fats). Reducing inflammation levels in our body improves our risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and can even help reduce mood disturbances like depression and anxiety.

Pretty impressive hey? Let’s get cooking.

Teriyaki Salmon

Serves: 2

Author: Marnie Nitschke

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for cooking
2 medium or one large (300g) salmon fillet, skin on
¼ cup water
6 spring onions (1 cup chopped)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Steamed jasmine or sushi rice
Steamed broccoli or other greens

Marinade

3 Cloves finely chopped garlic (1.5 tbsp)
1 heaped tsp ginger paste or grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

Mix all marinade ingredients, add fish and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Lightly toast sesame seeds in a non-stick pan on medium (1-2 minutes) then set aside.
Put your rice on to cook.
Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a non-stick pan (medium heat) and add the salmon, searing each side for 1 minute (top side first, then flip to skin side down).
Next, tip in the marinade, along with water, bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let it bubble away for 3 minutes.
Shake the pan and swoosh or stir the marinade, sprinkle the spring onion over and around the salmon, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on how well done you want it (add extra water if it’s reducing too much and getting sticky).
Steam or microwave the greens for a few minutes until tender, then serve with your salmon, over rice, topped with sauce from the pan and sesame seeds.