The first thing you have to make is the dashi. Dashi means “stock” in Japanese. Most cuisines have foundational ingredients that stay consistent, and nearly every country has its own variation of stock. I already have a post on how to make a traditional dashi, but this time I made a vegetarian version. I’ll create a dedicated post for that recipe as well, but I’ll briefly go over it here.
Procedure
For this dashi, we’ll be using dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu. You want the water to stay at a gentle simmer, not a boil, and this makes all the difference. Start with cold water, add the kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms, and slowly bring it to a simmer. Let it gently simmer for about 30 minutes.
Once it’s done, strain the dashi through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth if possible. I didn’t have cheesecloth on hand, so I skipped that step, but using it will remove the fine sediment and leave you with a beautifully clear broth.
After straining, cool the broth as quickly as possible by placing the container in an ice bath. This step is important because we want the sauce to be served cold. Set it aside for about 30 minutes. While it’s cooling, you can prep the rest of the ingredients. For now, though, let’s finish making the sauce.
Once the dashi has cooled, we’re ready to make the sauce. In a container, combine 2/3 cup dashi, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons mirin, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. I came up with this recipe after experimenting with flavors I had at home and drawing from both my restaurant and culinary school experience. Seal the container and refrigerate the sauce until completely chilled.
Next, prepare the green onions. Slice them as thinly as possible, then rinse them under cold running water for about 5 minutes while gently separating the slices with your hands. This removes the slimy coating and helps create a cleaner, fresher onion flavor. After rinsing, place the onions in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Spread them out on a towel lined tray and allow them to dry completely.
Now it’s time to prep the cucumbers. You can realistically use any variety of cucumber, but I chose petite cucumbers because I thought they looked cute. I used a mandoline to create thin, even slices and save time. It’s important that they’re sliced very thin so they develop the texture we’re looking for.
Place the cucumbers in a bowl and season them with sea salt. I used smoked sea salt, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different varieties. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Transfer them to a container and refrigerate until you’re ready to plate.
Next, rehydrate the wakame. Place about 1/2 cup of dried wakame into a bowl and add enough cold water to completely cover it. The wakame will absorb quite a bit of water as it hydrates. Let it soak for about 5 to 10 minutes until fully bloomed.
Once hydrated, gently squeeze out some of the excess water and transfer it to a container. You don’t want to wring it completely dry. It should stay slightly moist to maintain its texture, but it shouldn’t be sitting in water.
I was also able to get my hands on some shiso leaves. This ingredient is completely optional since availability varies depending on where you live. Roll up a leaf and chiffonade it into very thin ribbons. Then gently press the ribbons between paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps keep them fresh longer. Set them aside until you’re ready to plate.
For another garnish, I used roasted seaweed snacks and cut them into thin strips. I also toasted sesame seeds and ground them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, which added a wonderful nutty flavor to the dish.
To prepare the salmon, place the fillets on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate them uncovered for about 30 minutes. This helps dry out the skin so it becomes extra crispy when cooked while also allowing the seasoning to adhere better.
After 30 minutes, season the salmon generously with salt and pepper. Since I was prepping ahead, I returned the salmon to the refrigerator for a short dry brine, allowing the seasoning to penetrate the fish. When you’re ready to cook, let the salmon sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to encourage even cooking.
Heat a stainless steel or nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add a high heat cooking oil. I used a blend of olive oil and sunflower oil. Place the salmon skin side down and cook for about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Flip and continue cooking until the salmon reaches your desired doneness.
The last step before plating is cooking the soba noodles. These should be cooked just before serving because they’ll continue to absorb liquid if they sit too long. Cook them according to the package directions, then immediately rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the noodles to an ice bath and chill them for about 5 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes.
Once all of the components are finished, it’s time to plate. I chose a shallow bowl because I thought it would make the presentation look more elegant.
Twirl the chilled soba noodles into a neat nest in the center of the bowl. Pour the chilled sauce around the noodles until you reach your desired amount. Arrange the cucumbers and wakame alongside the noodles, then sprinkle the green onions and ground sesame seeds over the top. Finish with the shiso ribbons and strips of roasted seaweed.
Plate the crispy salmon separately with the skin facing up and serve it with a fresh lemon wedge on the side.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- place salmon on wire tray on top of a regular tray and place in fridge to dry salmon. remove after 15 min.
- season all sides of salmon with salt and pepper. season according to personal taste. place back in fridge for a dry brine no longer than 60 minutes uncovered
- In a bowl whisk together roasted sesame oil, dashi, rice vinegar, mirin and soy sauce, place in a container with a lid and place in fridge to chill for later use.
- In another bowl, place cucumbers and season with a pinch of sea salt., gently massage salt into cucumbers for about 5 min. let rest for another 10 min
- After 10 min, squeeze out excess moisture from cucumbers. place the cucumbers in a container with a lid and place in fridge until use.
- Using a bowl place wakame and submerge in cold distilled water for about 15 min. squeeze out excess water, place in a container and set aside in fridge.
- Cook on medium hi heat skin side down 6-10 min each side depending on cook.
- Boil noodles according to packaging, rinse in cold water and rest in ice bath for use. do not let sit more than 15 min.
- Using shallow bowls make a nest with the noodles, place cucumbers and wakame on the side of the noodles, sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. pout the sanbaizu on the side until desired amount. using tongs place shiso leaves and seaweed on top of noodles.
- plate salmon separately with skin side up and serve with a lemon wedge.
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