Dave Chang's Salmon Rice

Dave Chang's Salmon Rice

The best easy dinners are chameleons, endlessly customizable (and colorful too!). Salmon atop flavorful dashi rice is Dave’s go-to combination on a busy weeknight. Replace the salmon with any fish, try bok choy instead of spinach, or even switch the protein entirely with diced chicken.

All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.

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Select your microwave wattage in the dropdown. The cook times in this recipe will automatically change accordingly.

To find your microwave’s wattage, look at the front panel, the side of the door, in the back, in the user manual, or Google the model number. If both an input and output wattage are listed, use the output.

Wattage translates to how powerful the microwave is. The higher the wattage, the faster your food will cook. The lower the wattage, the longer the cook time.

When in doubt, start with less time — you can always add more.

1000w

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Product Size

  • Small Dish
  • Medium Shallow
  • Large Shallow
  • Medium Deep
  • Large Deep

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

23 mins

Free Time

to do today's crossword 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (195g) short grain rice
  • 1 ⅓ cups (280ml) dashi, chicken stock, or water (see note)
  • 1 4oz (115g) piece of salmon, skinless
  • 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • ½ cup (45g) frozen spinach
  • Thinly sliced scallions, sesame seeds, furikake as garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Place the rice and dashi (or stock or water) in the Anyday deep dish. Ensure the rice is in an even layer, then cover with the lid (knob lifted).
  2. Cook in the microwave at Power Level 3

    Certain foods cook best in the microwave at lower power levels. 

    Different microwaves have different settings. See your microwave manual (or look it up online) to learn how to change your microwave’s power level.

    For many microwaves: enter the cook time, press the “Power” (or “Power Level”) button, and select a number between 1-10. Other microwaves may require selecting the Power Level first, and then entering the cook time.

    Microwaves list power levels in different ways. Here’s a guide to help you adjust:

    PL 10 = 100% = High (default)

    PL 9 = 90% = High

    PL 8 = 80% = Med-High

    PL 7 = 70% = Med-High

    PL 6 = 60% = Medium

    PL 5 = 50% = Medium

    PL 4 = 40% = Med-Low

    PL 3 = 30% = Med-Low

    PL 2 = 20% = Low

    PL 1 = 10% = Low

    You will know if the power level has been successfully changed if you hear periodic changes in the microwave’s tone after it begins cooking.

    for 20 minutes, or until rice is almost fully cooked through. It will keep cooking in the next step!
  3. While the rice is cooking, marinate the salmon in a separate bowl: cut the salmon into ½” thick slices, toss with tamari or soy sauce, and set aside.
  4. Evenly spread the frozen spinach on top of the rice in the dish, then layer the marinated salmon on top.
  5. Continue cooking on full power (default power) for 2 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through.
  6. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and furikake, if desired.

Serving suggestions & tips

  • NOTE: this dish is most delicious when cooking rice with a flavorful stock. To make a quick dashi stock, mix 1 teaspoon Hondashi soup stock with 1 cup water.
  • Swap frozen spinach for any other quick-cooking vegetable! Try frozen peas, corn kernels, fresh spinach, bok choy, or kale.
  • Swap cilantro for scallions if you’d like a more herbaceous dish.
  • Drizzle some chili crispy for some spice.
  • Add crushed peanuts and sweet chili sauce for a sweet-and-spicy meal.
  • Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.