Ama-Shiozake is a staple Japanese dish featuring salmon. You can enjoy salmon fillets with a mild, savory flavor, and it pairs perfectly with rice.
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What is Ama-Shiozake?
Ama-Shiozake is a dish made by sautéing salmon fillets that have been marinated in a mixture of dissolved salt and sugar. "Ama" means sweet, "Shio" stands for salt, and "zake" refers to salmon. This dish allows you to enjoy the flavor of salmon that is not overly salty, yet still well-seasoned, without compromising its inherent taste.
In Japan, there is a similar dish known as "Shiozake" (salted salmon), which is prepared using only salt without any sugar. Shiozake tends to be saltier, catering to a different flavor profile. Which one is better depends on personal preference. For instance, ama-shiozake is more popular in my neighborhood, while my parents prefer shiozake.
A meal that includes salmon dishes, a combination of rice, miso soup, either ama-shiozake or shiozake, side dishes, and Japanese pickles, represents one of the most classic meal formats in Japan.
Health-consciousness and salt content
The creation of ama-shiozake is related to a growing awareness of health.
Traditionally, when it came to salmon dishes, shiozake (salted salmon) was commonly consumed in Japan. However, since shiozake is high in salt and consumers have become more health-conscious in recent years, some people have begun to avoid it. This has led to a demand for mildly salted salmon, which has given rise to ama-shiozake.
While shiozake is prepared by rubbing salt directly onto salmon fillets, ama-shiozake is made by marinating the fillets in a saltwater solution to prevent excessive salt concentration. As a result, ama-shiozake is not as suitable for long-term preservation as shiozake, which dehydrates and ages the salmon, but it allows you to enjoy the inherent flavor of the salmon more fully with a mild, savory taste.
Types of salmon used
There are various types of salmon, and you can use any of them to make this dish. However, it is especially recommended to use fattier salmon, as it provides even more richness. The color might vary slightly depending on the type of salmon you use, but since they are all natural salmon colors, there is no need for concern.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 3.2 oz/90 g each)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt
Instructions
🕒 Total: 12 hrs 7 mins
Step 1
Mix water, sugar, and salt in a ziplock bag, then add salmon fillets. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours or more.
Step 2
Add oil to a pan and cook the marinated salmon fillets (ama-shiozake) over medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Recipe card
Ama-Shiozake (Japanese Lightly Salted Salmon)
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 3.2 oz/90 g each)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt
Instructions
- Mix water, sugar, and salt in a ziplock bag, then add salmon fillets. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours or more.
- Add oil to a pan and cook the marinated salmon fillets (ama-shiozake) over medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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