Crispy soy salmon with quick pickles

A juicy, perfectly cooked fillet of salmon fish with crisp skin that crackles when reduce is a factor of splendor – however one that may be difficult to gain. Follow these easy steps, whatever fish you’re cooking, and you will get it proper, every time

Ingredients

jasmine rice 120g
salmon 2 x 200g fillets
vegetable oil 2 tsp
butter 25g
garlic 2 cloves, crushed
ginger a thumb-sized piece, finely grated
mirin 3 tbsp
soy sauce 2 tbsp
caster sugar ½ tbsp

QUICK PICKLES

rice vinegar 75g
caster sugar 25g
cucumber ¼, halved and thinly sliced
radishes a handful, thinly sliced
red chili 1, deseeded, halved and thinly sliced

Method

Step 1 To make the quick pickles, put the vinegar, sugar, 50ml of water and a pinch of salt into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar is dissolved. Put the cucumber slices, radishes and chili into a bowl, pour over the hot pickling liquid and leave until completely cool, turning every now and again.
Step 2 Put the rice into a small pan with 240ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, put on a lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes, then leave to steam for a further 10 minutes, or until ready to serve, then fluff up with a fork.
Step 3 Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle the fillets all over with the oil, then season with salt.
Step 4 Put the salmon into the pan, skin-side down, and carefully press so the skin remains flat and in contact with the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, without moving the fillets. Flip (the fillets should have released themselves from the pan), add the butter and cook for 1 minute, basting with the butter, then move onto a plate, skin-side up, to rest. The fish should feel firm but have a little give when pressed.
Step 5 Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for 1 minute before adding the mirin, soy, and sugar. Bubble for a few minutes until reduced and a little syrupy.
Step 6 Spoon the rice onto 2 plates, with a pile of drained pickles, the crispy salmon fillet, skin-side up, and a drizzle of the sauce.