Oriental Salmon Zucchini Noodle Bowls
Try this Oriental Salmon Zucchini Noodle Bowls recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Oriental Salmon Zucchini Noodle Bowls recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
- 1/2 cup brown rice uncooked*
- 6 x 5-6 oz salmon fillets (we like with crispy skin)
- 5 tbsp soy sauce (i used bragg's liquid aminos)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 large zucchini
- 3 cups snap peas
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 - 3 handfuls baby spinach
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3 green onion sprigs chopped
- Carbohydrate 129.271300000849 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 9.31883333333333 g
- Fiber 22.6013333872954 g
- Protein 28.7434 g
- Saturated Fat 1.60225666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1443g)
- Sodium 117.328333337898 mg
- Sugar 106.669966613554 g
- Trans Fat 1.06406333333333 g
- Calories 682 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook rice as per package directions (if using) and set aside.
- In a shallow dish, mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar and garlic. Add salmon and turn fillets a few times to coat leaving flesh side down to marinate for 10 minutes or so. In the meanwhile, make zucchini noodles using a spiralizer) and coarsely chop snap peas.
- Preheat large non-stick skillet (I now use ceramic Ozeri) on medium heat and spread to coat 1 tsp sesame oil. Add salmon in batches (discard marinade) and cook for 4 - 5 minutes or until golden crispy on each side. Transfer onto platter and set aside.
- To the same skillet, add water, remaining sesame seed oil and snap peas. Cook for a few minutes until cooked but still crispy, stirring once. Add zucchini noodles, rice (if using), remaining soy sauce and rice vinegar, and spinach. Stir and remove from heat.
- To serve, place zucchini noodles in a bowl with salmon on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve hot.
Controlling Moisture in High-Water Vegetables
Zucchini noodles release water rapidly upon contact with salt and heat, turning a crisp-tender bed into a watery broth if mishandled. Coarsely chopping snap peas alongside the zucchini adds structural crunch that survives residual pan heat. Cooking these vegetables requires removing the skillet from the heat immediately after adding the spinach, relying solely on residual warmth to wilt the greens without breaking down the cellular walls of the squash. Retaining that tender-crisp bite depends entirely on minimizing dwell time in the pan.
Developing Crust Without Overcooking the Salmon
Marinating the fish for precisely 10 minutes infuses flavor into the exterior without drawing out excessive moisture through osmosis. Preheating the non-stick skillet over medium heat guarantees the protein denatures instantly on contact, forming a golden crust that releases naturally from the surface when properly browned. Cooking takes four to five minutes per side, sealing the juices inside while keeping the interior tender. Discarding the liquid marinade before searing prevents steaming, ensuring the oil and heat can properly caramelize the exterior proteins.
