It may sound incredible that you can make some of the best salmon you’ve ever had with just TWO ingredients, but it’s true. Simple, fast, and fool proof, Shio Koji salmon uses a traditional Japanese method that creates deeply flavorful and moist salmon with just a few minutes of hands-on prep. Salmon is rich with Omega-3’s that are essential to heart health and this recipe helps you get it on the table with a minimum of fuss, so let’s get into it.

What is Shio Koji?

A favorite seasoning for Japanese home cooks, shio koji is made from rice inoculated with a harmless mold. (Mold also being a key ingredient in lots of yummy things from dry aged steaks to wine!) It is used to marinate and tenderize meat, and provides rich savory umami goodness. You can easily make your own shio koji at home, and I show you how here. It is also readily available online and in Asian markets that specialize in Japanese ingredients. 

Making Shio Koji Salmon

I like to use a skin on salmon fillet for this, and I start by cutting the salmon into equal portions. This isn’t so much a recipe as a method. Each serving of salmon (about 5-6 ounces) needs 1 Tablespoon of shio koji. I bought a package of salmon, which was about a pound, so I cut it into 3 servings. If you want a larger serving of salmon for each person, I suggest giving two smaller pieces rather than one large piece of fish. This will allow the shio koji to penetrate the fish evenly and fully.

The salmon should marinate in the shio koji for at least 6 hours. I like to leave it overnight for the most flavor. Plus it’s nice to start the day knowing your dinner is pretty much already taken care of! When you are ready to cook the salmon, make sure you take off an excess shio koji as it easily burns. I use my hands but you can use a paper towel if you prefer.

Broil the salmon for 6-8 minutes. You do not need to flip the salmon. Keep a close eye on it; I like it to get a good char in places but you don’t want it too burnt.

I like to serve Shio Koji Salmon with a simple green veggie like Sesame Green Beans or Japanese Style Spinach for an easy, healthful, and delicious meal. Try it and let me know what you think by commenting on the recipe below. And don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!

Shio Koji Salmon

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 3
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Japanese

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Ingredients

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• 1 lb skin-on salmon fillet
• 3 Tablespoons Shio Koji

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Instructions

1. Cut the salmon into 3 equal pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place the pieces of salmon into a storage container. 
2. Pour the shio koji over the salmon and gently coat the salmon with the shio koji. 
3. Cover and refrigerate the salmon overnight or at least 6 hours. The longer you marinate the salmon the more flavor will be absorbed.
4. Move the oven rack to the second shelf from the top (about 8 inches from the heat source) and set the broiler to high.
5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a little oil (to keep the skin from sticking).
6. Using your hands, wipe off the excess shio koji from the salmon and place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet.
7. Broil the salmon for 6-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it. It will get very caramelized. (You can put some foil on top or move it down another shelf if you think it’s getting too charred).
8. I like salmon to be just cooked on the inside. If you prefer well done salmon, tip the pieces over to the side and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Transfer the shio koji salmon to a plate, garnish with some lemon wedges and serve.

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Keywords: salmon, marinate, healthy, japanese, seafood

Sometimes you just need a crispy, crunchy snack. Instead of reaching for some overly processed, sodium laden bag of chips, try making a batch of these Burdock Chips. The crunch you crave, with the added bonus of all the nutrition benefits of burdock root. Full of prebiotic fiber and antioxidants and other anti-cancer properties, burdock root has been used for centuries to treat blood sugar issues. But you won’t think about that when you are grabbing another handful of these delightfully crispy chips. Making chips is a great way to introduce a veggie you may not have tried before, so let’s get into it.

Turning Burdock into Chips

Burdock is a long and skinny root vegetable, with a skin that’s similar to ginger’s. It’s best to scrape it off rather than using a peeler. I use the back of a knife, which is just sharp enough to take the skin off quickly. It’s important to have the vinegar water bath ready since the burdock root will start to oxidize and brown immediately. Soaking the root in a vinegar-water bath will help to keep it from discoloring.

Trim off the ends of the woody burdock, scrape the skin off with your knife (you can also use a vegetable scrub or the rough side of a clean sponge), and cut the burdock into 4 inch logs. Then immediately place the burdock into the vinegar water. Keep it in the vinegar water as much as possible while you are cutting it into slices, until you are ready to cook it.

You can cut the burdock using a couple of different methods. I used a knife and first sliced a thin sliver off of the log to stabilize the burdock root and to keep it from rolling around on the cutting board. Then it’s just a matter of slicing the burdock root as thinly as possibly. It’s important to try and keep the slices uniform so that they fry evenly. You do not want some chips to burn before the others are done frying.

If you prefer to use a peeler to get the thin strips, do not cut the burdock into logs. Instead, scrape off the skin 4 inches at a time and then hold the burdock over the bowl of water and peel long strips into the vinegar water.

Frying the Burdock Chips

These fry quickly, and in only one inch of oil. So it’s a great recipe to get more comfortable with frying. Also, the burdock flavors the frying oil and gives it a warm nutty flavor. Don’t throw out the oil! Use it for all of your cooking throughout the week. The mild flavor won’t clash with any other flavors.

When you first add the burdock root, the oil will bubble like crazy. But as the chips continue to fry, more of the the water from the burdock root will cook out and evaporate and there will be less bubbling. Keep frying until there are very few bubbles, which is a sign that the chips will be crispy. When the burdock chips are nicely browned and crisped, I remove them to a paper towel lined plate and salt them. I like a good, flakey salt for this.

Repeat this with the rest of the burdock root until you have a lovely pile of crunchy chips. There’s no shame in just devouring these on the couch. But, they also make an excellent side/topping. Try them with:

• Hambagu
• Soy Butter Scallops
• Smoked Wings

When you enjoy these burdock chips, take a moment to let me know what you think. Rate and comment on the recipe below, and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Burdock Chips

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: serves 2
• Category: small plates
• Cuisine: Japanese

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Ingredients

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• 8 ounces burdock root
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar (any kind is fine)
• 2 cups water 
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt (any coarse salt will do-I used Maldon sea salt)

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Instructions

 

1. Combine the vinegar and water in a bowl and set aside.
2. Use either a clean vegetable scrub or the back of your knife and scrub/scrape the skin from the burdock root.
3. Cut the burdock root into 4” pieces and place the burdock root into the vinegar water.
   
4. Using your knife, slice a thin sliver off the burdock root to keep it from rolling around on the cutting board. Then, slice the burdock root lengthwise into thin ribbons, about 1/16” thick.
5. Place the ribbons into the vinegar water and continue slicing, putting the ribbons back into the water as quickly as possible.
   
6. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat to about 325 degrees.
   
7. Drain the burdock root and pat dry with some paper towels.
   
8. Dip one ribbon of burdock root into the oil to test the heat. It should sizzle immediately. Carefully lower one large handful of burdock root into the oil. 
   
9. Use a pair of chopsticks or tongs to swish the burdock, separating the pieces.
   
10. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the burdock chips are crispy and lightly browned. When you first add the burdock root, the oil will furiously bubble. As the chips fry, the water from the burdock will leach out and evaporate. The chips will start to dry out and the oil will bubble less and less. By the time the chips are fully fried and crisp, there will be very little bubbling.
    
11. Use a strainer or spider and scoop the chips onto a paper towel lined plate or bowl and sprinkle with salt while hot.
    
12. Continue frying, draining, and salting until all of the burdock has been fried.
    
13. Serve the burdock chips immediately.

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Notes

*You can also use a peeler to slice the burdock root. First scrape the skin off in 4-5 inch section. Then hold the burdock root over the bowl of vinegar water and use the peeler to slice the burdock root lengthwise into thin ribbons. Have the ribbons drop into the vinegar water immediately to keep them from discoloring. Drain and blot the burdock root with paper towels right before frying.

Keywords: burdock, gobo chips, burdock root, snacks