Chazuke (茶漬け) — Japanese Tea-Poured Rice with Grilled Salmon

• 360 gJapanese short-grain rice, cooked
• 160 gskin-on salmon fillet
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 6 gsencha green tea leaves
• 480 mlfiltered water (heated to 80°C for brewing)
• 1 sheettoasted nori (cut into thin strips)
• 2 tsptoasted white sesame seeds
• 20 garare rice crackers
• 4 sprigmitsuba (roughly chopped)
• 1 tspwasabi paste
• 2 tspsoy sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the salmon dry and sprinkle the fine sea salt evenly over both sides. Let it stand on a plate for 15 minutes so the salt lightly cures the surface and draws out excess moisture.

2. 2

   Blot the salmon again with a paper towel, then cook it skin-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn it over and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the fish flakes easily and the skin is crisp.

3. 3

   Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for 2 minutes. Discard the skin if preferred, then break the flesh into large flakes with chopsticks or a fork, keeping the pieces rustic rather than finely shredded.

4. 4

   Brew the sencha by pouring 480 ml of 80°C water over the tea leaves and steeping for 60 seconds. Strain immediately so the tea stays clear, fragrant, and pleasantly grassy rather than bitter.

5. 5

   Divide the hot cooked rice between 2 deep bowls, using 180 g rice per serving. If the rice is cold, reheat it first until steaming because chazuke depends on the contrast of hot rice and hot tea.

6. 6

   Top each bowl with flaked salmon, nori strips, sesame seeds, arare, and chopped mitsuba. Add 0.5 tsp wasabi paste to each bowl or place it at the rim so each diner can dissolve it gradually.

7. 7

   Pour about 240 ml hot sencha around the edge of each bowl, not directly onto the toppings, so the salmon and nori remain visible. Finish each serving with 1 tsp soy sauce and eat immediately while the rice is still hot and the arare is crisp.