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  • 13 hours ago
Salmon maze gohan is a Japanese mixed rice recipe that turns warm steamed rice and flaky salmon into a simple savory meal with comforting homemade flavor. This dish usually starts by cooking or grilling salmon until tender, then flaking it into bite-sized pieces before mixing it gently with hot rice. Seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, sake, sesame oil, salt, or dashi can add umami and balance the richness of the fish, while toppings like sesame seeds, green onion, nori, shiso, or pickled ginger bring aroma and texture. As the salmon folds through the rice, each grain picks up savory flavor without becoming heavy or mushy. The final maze gohan is easy to serve for lunch, dinner, or bento, with soft rice, rich salmon, and a clean Japanese-style finish that works well with miso soup, pickles, or vegetables.
Transcript
00:00Taki Komi Gohan demands perfect water ratios and close attention.
00:03Get wrong and you scrape in mosh.
00:06Maze Gohan flips the script.
00:08Say, season, fold into already perfect rice.
00:12Similar Japanese comfort, zero anxiety.
00:15A printable version of this recipe is available on my website.
00:19Google Maze Gohan sudachi to grab yours.
00:22Before we start cooking, have your rice ready on warm mode.
00:26I cook two rice cooker cups, which is about 660 grams after cooking.
00:32Using a rice cooker makes this recipe super easy, but of course you can use your preferred method.
00:38Now, take 200 grams of salmon fillets and sprinkle about a quarter teaspoon of salt evenly over both sides.
00:47The salt draws out moisture and compounds responsible for the fishy smell through osmotic pressure.
00:53Let them rest for 15 minutes.
00:57While we wait, let's prep our vegetables.
01:01Julienne 100 grams of carrots into thin matchsticks.
01:05And do the same with about a tablespoon of fresh ginger.
01:09Thinly slice 100 grams of mushrooms.
01:11I'm using shiitake today, but use whatever you love in your area.
01:15Finally, slice up five shiso leaves and set them aside for topping later.
01:20If you can't get shiso, you can skip entirely or a small amount of mint and or basil would work
01:28nicely as an alternative.
01:31Alright, 15 minutes are up.
01:33Grab some kitchen paper and block those salmon fillets dry.
01:38Heat a drizzle of oil, about a teaspoon, in a skillet of medium heat.
01:43Lay the salmon fillets down inside first.
01:46Keep using skin on.
01:47Let them cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes.
01:50Flip them over and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
01:55You want the flesh just cooked through but still slightly glossy in the very centre.
02:01Now the carrots, ginger and mushrooms right into the pan.
02:05As the vegetables start to soften, use a spatula to break the salmon into flakes.
02:10Try to keep the pieces relatively uniform in size.
02:15Stir everything together and let it cook for about 3 minutes until the carrots are tender but still have a
02:21little bite to them.
02:22Now is where we build serious depth of flavour.
02:26Push the salmon mixture to the edges of the pan, clearing a small space right in the centre.
02:32Pour 2 teaspoons of mirin into that open spot and let it bubble vigorously for about 10-15 seconds, then
02:41fold it in.
02:43Now do the same with 1 and a half tablespoons of soy sauce.
02:47Pour it into that empty space and let it hit the hot pan directly.
02:51You'll hear sizzle and see reduce almost instantly.
02:56This is called Koga Shoyu, which literally translates as scorched soy sauce.
03:02And it transforms the soy from simply salty to deeply savoury, with roasted, almost chocolatey, undernotes.
03:10The pan should look almost dry with no cooling liquid.
03:14The reduction concentrates flavour without watering down our rice later.
03:20Turn off the heat completely.
03:22Drop in a tablespoon of unsalted butter and stir until it melts and clings to every piece of salmon and
03:30vegetable.
03:31The mixture should look shiny and glossy, not greasy or oily.
03:35Grab your hot rice and add a quarter teaspoon of rice vinegar along with a tablespoon of ground toasted sesame
03:43seeds.
03:43Give it a quick fold to distribute.
03:46Now add the entire contents of your pan to the rice.
03:49Using a rice paddle, fold quickly but gently with a cutting motion.
03:55Slice down through the centre, then fold from the bottom up.
03:59The warm rice absorbs the incredible soy batter aroma as steam escapes.
04:06Work fast, but don't overdo it.
04:08About 10 to 15 folds is all you need, just until the salmon and vegetables are evenly distributed throughout.
04:15Divide the rice into serving bowls and top each one with a generous handful of kizami nori and those sliced
04:25shiso leaves.
04:26The nori brings a concentrated bunch of oceanic umami that ties the salmon right back to its maritime roots,
04:34while the shiso adds a bright, refreshing leaf that balances all the savoury richness.
04:40If you want to mix things up, you can drizzle a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil and finish with
04:46a pinch of high-quality sea salt.
04:48Totally optional, but it does add another layer of luxury.
04:54And there you have it, my salmon mazu gohan.
04:57This is everything you want in a weeknight dinner.
04:59Deeply savoury, wonderfully nourishing, and way easier than takikomi gohan.
05:05Want even more delicious recipes?
05:07Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
05:11That's a wrap, you can find a full printable version of this recipe on my website, linked right here on
05:17the screen.
05:17It has all the extra details to help you get perfect every time.
05:21If you enjoyed this, check out my salmon playlist.
05:24And next week, I'm making cream stew.
05:26Hit subscribe so you don't miss it.
05:28See you then.
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