Broiled salmon, quick-pickled cucumbers, avocado and spicy mayonnaise make Spicy Salmon Rice Bowls an easy, deeply satisfying dinner.
A recent reorganization of the spice rack produced the usual collection of casualties: seasonings whose identities had faded along with their labels, jars purchased for recipes neither of us could remember and several spices whose expiration dates suggested they had survived more than one presidential administration.
Then I found the shichimi togarashi. It was good to go until 2030!
Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven-spice blend traditionally made with red chile pepper, sansho pepper, dried citrus peel, sesame seeds, ginger, hemp seeds and nori. The ingredients vary, but the result is generally spicy, citrusy and deeply aromatic. And if there’s no Asian Grocery store near you, you can order it right here:
Just days after discovering the jar, I came across Bon Appétit’s recipe for Spicy Salmon Roll Bowls—and there it was on the ingredient list: shichimi togarashi!
Just in case you’re fresh out of shichimi togarashi, Bon Appétit allows the substitution of another slightly obscure Japanese seasoning, furikake, or simply toasted sesame seeds.
The recipe comes from Kendra Vaculin at Bon Appétit, and it is essentially a spicy salmon roll transformed into a substantial rice bowl. Cubes of salmon are coated with mayonnaise and broiled until browned, then served with sushi rice, quick-pickled cucumbers, avocado and chile-crisp mayonnaise.
The broiler may give the salmon more color than you expect, but the mayonnaise protects it and helps keep it beautifully moist. The combination of warm rice, cool cucumber, creamy avocado and spicy salmon makes this a terrific dinner.
Here’s the recipe and after it, another Salmon Poke Bowl recipe to enjoy.
Spicy Salmon Rice Bowls
Broiled salmon, quick-pickled cucumber, avocado and chile-crisp mayonnaise come together in a colorful rice bowl inspired by Bon Appétit.
Ingredients
- 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, plus a little more for the spicy mayonnaise
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups sushi rice or another short-grain white rice
- 2½ cups water
- 3 tablespoons chile crisp
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise, plus 3 tablespoons for the salmon
- 12 ounces salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 avocados, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- Shichimi togarashi, furikake or toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Directions
- Step 1 First, Pickle the Cucumbers Place the sliced cucumbers in a medium bowl. Add the ¼ cup rice vinegar and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Toss well and leave the cucumbers to pickle while you prepare the remaining ingredients, stirring them occasionally.
- Step 2 Then Cook the Rice. Combine the rice, water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Step 3 Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan tightly and cook until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff gently with a fork.
- Step 4 To Make the Spicy Mayonnaise: Stir together the chile crisp, ⅓ cup mayonnaise and a small splash of rice vinegar. Set aside for serving.
- Step 5 Broil the Salmon. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the broiler to high.
- Step 6 Pat the salmon cubes dry and season them lightly with salt. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and the cayenne pepper, tossing gently until the salmon is evenly coated.
- Step 7 Arrange the salmon in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until browned at the edges and opaque in the center, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Begin checking a little earlier, since broilers have highly individual personalities and some are positively unhinged.
- Step 8 Next Assemble the Bowls. Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top each serving with salmon, drained pickled cucumbers and sliced avocado. Spoon a little of the cucumber pickling liquid over the vegetables.
- Step 9 Drizzle with the spicy mayonnaise and finish with scallions and shichimi togarashi, furikake or toasted sesame seeds.
