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Marinated Salmon - Japanese Recipes

 Marinated Salmon - Japanese Recipes

Cured salmon, also known as Gravlax, is a method of preparing fish that is very gentle, without cooking or smoking. The salmon is rubbed with salt and spices and can also be sprinkled with dill. After some time in the refrigerator, the salmon is marinated. This process removes water from the fish, making it tender, flavorful, and preservable for a longer time than if left untreated. Cured salmon is often prepared in Scandinavia, where it is called Gravlax. However, in Japan, there are delightful recipes that use exotic ingredients, giving the fish a distinctly Asian taste and aroma.

What is so special about pickled salmon?

Cured or gravlax salmon is not cooked, preserving the valuable vitamins and trace elements to a large extent. The curing process makes the meat even more tender and imparts some of the flavor from the spices. Additionally, the delicate aroma of the fresh fish is largely retained, similar to the raw topping for sushi.

What to look out for if you want to pickle salmon yourself?

If you want to cure salmon yourself, you need absolutely fresh fish. This is crucial since the fish is not cooked and will be consumed practically raw. During the process, cleanliness is of utmost importance. It is advantageous if everything takes place in as cool a room as possible without any delays.

Raw salmon

Does this procedure also work for other fish?

Practically, all types of fish can be enhanced and preserved with a cure. Some types are less suitable due to too many bones, and with freshwater fish, the taste of the cured fish may not be very convincing. In addition to salmon, premium fish such as swordfish, sea bream, or tuna are ideal for curing. Sardines or anchovies can also be refined in this way. Instead of the commonly used dill, other herbs such as mint, basil, or seaweed can be used as ingredients.

Can you use gravad salmon for sushi?

Although traditionally not used for sushi, you can certainly experiment with Graved Lachs in this context. Since its taste is somewhat saltier and more aromatic than raw salmon, the sushi with this topping will have an unusual flavor. The best way to know is to try a few nigiri or maki with it.

Pickled salmon recipe with ginger

No. of persons2-3 personsNo. of persons
Preparation timeca. 15 minutes Preparation time
Total Timeca. 13 hoursTotal Time
Level of difficultyeasyLevel of difficulty
Dishmain mealDish
FishFish
Lactose-freeLactose-free
Kitchenware Kitchenware
Salmon with sesame seeds, ginger and spring onions
List of ingredients
approx. 800 g fresh salmon fillet (without skin and bones)
30 g salt
40 g sugar
a thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
1 tsp ginger powder
some fresh mint
Kochende Miss Oryoki
Preparation
Step 1

Rinse the salmon fillet with cold water and carefully pat dry with kitchen paper.

Step 2

To make the ginger pickle, mix the ginger powder, salt and sugar, peel and finely chop the ginger. Finely chop the mint and mix everything together.

Step 3

Rub the fillet with the mixture and place everything in a tightly sealed plastic box or glass bowl. Leave to marinate for approx. 1 hour at room temperature and then in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

Step 4

This recipe goes well with a spicy dip with spring onions, chili and sesame seeds. It is prepared as follows:

Step 5

Mix together a finely chopped spring onion, a chopped red chili pepper, some grated fresh ginger, a tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds, a teaspoon of brown sugar, two tablespoons of rice vinegar, two tablespoons of fish sauce and two tablespoons of sesame oil. Japanese soba noodles or rice taste delicious as a side dish.

Japanese-style salmon pickling

No. of persons2 portionsNo. of persons
Preparation timeca. 30 minutes Preparation time
Total Timeca. 60 minutesTotal Time
Level of difficultyeasyLevel of difficulty
Dishmain mealDish
Calories200kcal per portionCalories
FishFish
Lactose-freeLactose-free
Kitchenware Kitchenware
Pickled salmon
List of ingredients
200 g (absolutely fresh) salmon fillet, preferably sushi quality
4 tbls of yuzu juice, if not available, this can be replaced with lemon juice or lime juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger
4 finely chopped spring onions
Some soy sauce and sesame oil to taste
Kochende Miss Oryoki
Preparation
Step 1

First cut the salmon fillet into approx. 2 × 2 cm pieces. Mix together all the ingredients for the pickling (except the soy sauce and sesame oil) and fold into the salmon pieces.

Step 2

This mixture must be left to infuse in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This works best in a glass bowl or porcelain dish with a lid.

Step 3

Just before serving, the Japanese pickled salmon can be seasoned with a little soy sauce and sesame oil. It is ideal as a fine starter.

Japanese recipes read in the magazine »

Pickled salmon with wasabi sauce

No. of persons2 personsNo. of persons
Preparation timeca. 10 minutes Preparation time
Total Timeca. 60 minutesTotal Time
Level of difficultyeasyLevel of difficulty
Dishmain mealDish
Calories200kcalCalories
FishFish
Lactose-freeLactose-free
Pickled salmon with wasabi

The Japanese-cured salmon can also be served with a spicy wasabi sauce. For this, the curing mixture for the fillet is seasoned with the following spices instead of ginger:

Ingredients list for the salmon:
10 Coriander seeds
4 Allspice berries
1 tsp ground red, green and black cembra peppercorns
1 ground, dried chili pepper
Kochende Miss Oryoki

The curing process is carried out as described in the previous recipe. In addition, thin slices of oranges or lemons can be placed on the fish fillet during the curing process to give the fish a subtle, fruity aroma.

Ingredients list for the wasabi sauce:
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp wasabi paste
1 tsp dark soy sauce
125 ml neutral tasting oil
some rice wine (cold green tea can also be used for an alcohol-free preparation)
Preparation
Step 1

Beat the egg yolk and gradually add small amounts of the oil. This creates a creamy mixture, like mayonnaise. Then mix in the other ingredients.

Step 2

Serve the wasabi sauce on a plate next to the salmon and enjoy!

Graved salmon with honey-mustard sauce

No. of persons1 personNo. of persons
Preparation timeca. 20 minutes Preparation time
Total Timeca. 48 hoursTotal Time
Level of difficultyeasyLevel of difficulty
Dishmain mealDish
Calories200kcalCalories
FishFish
Lactose-freeLactose-free
Kitchenware Kitchenware
Honey mustard sauce

This low-carb recipe may not originally come from Japan, but it's just too delicious to ignore.

You can either buy ready-made gravlax or prepare it yourself. Here's how:

List of ingredients
1 fresh salmon half (with skin)
60 g salt
80 g sugar
3 bunches dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground black pepper
Kochende Miss Oryoki
Preparation
Step 1

Rub the washed and cleaned salmon half with the mixture of spices and dill. Place in an oblong dish, cover with cling film and weigh down. Place everything in the fridge for at least 48 hours.

Step 2

The fillet can then be sliced and served with a delicious honey and mustard sauce. This sauce is prepared as follows:

Step 3

Mix equal parts mustard and honey with finely chopped dill and season with a little salt and pepper. The taste can be adjusted to taste (more mustard) or sweeter (more honey). The sauce is served in a separate container. A fresh, green salad goes perfectly with it.

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