Recipe & Video: Salmon Saikyo Yaki

Miso, mirin, and sake provide the flavor-rich marinade base for Salmon Saikyo Yaki, an authentic Japanese food recipe that is popular in restaurants all over the world and now can be created in four easy steps right in your home kitchen.

Achieve the perfect Japanese taste in just four steps! This miso-marinated salmon dish is a traditional Japanese food recipe that can be made right in your own home. Cooking flavored fish has never been easier — all you need is a Tupperware container and some basic ingredients found at most grocery stores. You can even base a Japanese-style dinner party around it. So get ready to delight your friends and family with your Japanese culinary skills by whipping up this delicious Salmon Saikyo Yaki!

What Is Saikyo Yaki?

Saikyo yaki is a Japanese staple dish served at restaurants all over Japan. But it’s easier than you think to make this at home. The art is in the marination of the fish. This is usually done with mirin, sake and, of course, real Japanese miso. But not all miso is the same. What you want for Saikyo yaki is Saikyo miso, which is much lighter in color and more subtle in flavor than the brown miso commonly used in other authentic Japanese food recipes. Because of its light color and taste, it’s often simply called “white miso.”

The Best Fish for Saikyo Yaki

In this recipe, we use salmon, but there are several kinds of fish traditionally used to make Saikyo yaki in Japanese food culture. Black cod is a favorite fish for many, while Spanish mackerel, ocean perch, and blue cod are other options. In general, oily fish work better for Saikyo yaki because they absorb the marinade better and allow you to cook the rich umami flavors right into the flesh on the open grill!

Cooking Tips:

1. Make sure to mix the seasoning well before adding the fish to the bag. You can’t really mix once the fish is in the bag as you don’t want to break the fish up.
2. You can marinate up to three days in the refrigerator. Marinating for at least two days makes the fish taste better.
3. You can freeze the Ziploc bag if you want to cook the fish later. When ready to cook, just thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking.
4. You can cook the fish in a frying pan or toaster oven.

Ingredients

• 2 slices Salmon

Seasoning

• 4 Tbsp White Miso
• 2 Tbsp Sake
• 1 Tbsp Mirin
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce

Instructions

1. Cut the salmon into preferred sizes. Remove bones if any.
2. In a Ziploc bag, mix all the seasonings and place the salmon cuts inside. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line the baking dish with baking sheet.
4. Remove salmon from the Ziploc and place them skin-side up. Bake for 10-15 minutes until done.