Salmon with Wasabi Honey Sauce

Ingredients
Salmon Fillet (enough for 2 to 4 people)
salt and pepper
cilantro
rice (sticky or jasmine brown recommended)

Sauce:
1T soy sauce
3T mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
1T seasoned rice vinegar
1T honey
1t minced fresh ginger (peel first!)
2t wasabi paste

Cucumber Side:
1 large cucumber
2T seasoned rice vinegar
1t mirin
1t sesame oil
sesame seeds




Instructions
This is quick and easy, and very flavorful. The wasabi and ginger pack a real punch.

First, the rice.  Prepare whatever rice you like!  I have served this with sticky rice, brown jasmine, and even over soba noodles, and they all were great sides.

Prepare the sauce:
  • Mix the sauce ingredients and stir. Bring this to a boil in a small pan while you cook the fish, and let it simmer for a bit, then cover it and keep it warm.
Next, the salmon:
  • Cut the salmon into as many pieces as you have eaters, and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper.
  • In a nonstick pan (I prefer a stir-fry pan), heat a little oil, and place the salmon in, skin side down to cook.
  • Once the salmon is cooked about half-way through, turn it over and let it cook the rest of the way, until the flesh is brown on the outside, opaque in the center, and flakes easily with a fork.  About 3-5 minutes on each side should do the trick.
While the fish cooks (optional):
  • Peel the cucumber, and slice it in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeded center on both halves, and slice it into small smiles (seeded half circles).
  • Toss the cukes in a bowl with the mirin, rice wine vinegar, and a dash of sesame oil, and let marinate while the fish cooks. This is a nice refreshing side to balance the spice of the wasabi.
Once the fish is cooked, arrange your rice and fish on the plate, and drizzle the sauce over both.  Enjoy!