Ama-Shiozake is a classic Japanese dish that features fish. You can enjoy the tender texture and delicate, salty flavor of salmon. It pairs perfectly with rice.
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What is Ama-Shiozake?
Ama-Shiozake is a dish made by grilling 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 the inherent taste of the salmon.
There is a similar dish known as "Shiozake" (salted salmon), which is prepared using only salt without any sugar. However, this dish tends to be quite salty, catering to different tastes. By the way, ama-shiozake is more popular in my neighborhood, while my parents prefer shiozake.
The menu that includes salmon dishes, a combination of rice, miso soup, either ama-shiozake or shiozake, side dishes, and Japanese pickles, is one of the most classic meal formats in Japan.
Health-consciousness and salt content
Originally, shiozake was commonly consumed in Japan. However, as consumers became more health-conscious, some people began to avoid the salted method, giving 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 doesn't dehydrate and age salmon as intensely as shiozake does, but it allows you to enjoy the original flavor of the salmon more.
Ingredients
- 0.8 lbs (360g) salmon fillet
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) water (A)
- 1 Tbsp sugar (A)
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt (A)
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 12 hrs 20 mins
Step 1
Cut the salmon fillet into pieces about 3.2 oz. (90g) each.
Step 2
Mix A (water, sugar, salt) in a ziplock bag or Tupperware, and then add the salmon fillets. Let them marinate overnight (for 12 to 24 hours).
Step 3
Add oil to a pan and cook the seasoned salmon fillets over medium heat until they are 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 Light Salted Salmon)
Ingredients
- 0.8 lbs (360g) salmon fillet
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) water (A)
- 1 Tbsp sugar (A)
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt (A)
Instructions
- Cut the salmon fillet into pieces about 3.2 oz. (90g) each.
- Mix A (water, sugar, salt) in a ziplock bag or Tupperware, and then add the salmon fillets. Let them marinate overnight (for 12 to 24 hours).
- Add oil to a pan and cook the seasoned salmon fillets over medium heat until they are browned on both sides and cooked through.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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