Sakechazuke (dashi) / rice with grilled salted salmon in broth

A dashi version of ochazuke with grilled salted salmon. Light and warm, and gentle on your stomach.

<Ingredients>

2 bowls steamed rice (not in photo)
100 g shiozake salted salmon (160 g in photo; after grilling, use desired amount, and save the rest)
Several stems mitsuba
1/3-1/2 sheet nori seaweed
Toasted white sesame seeds (not in photo)
450 cc dashi
1 tbsp usukuchi soy sauce
1 tbsp sake + mirin (equal parts)
Pinch salt (not in photo)


<Directions>
1.
Cook rice.

2.

Grill shiozake until golden brown (approx. 30 minutes in oven at 450 F/230 C or 10-15 minutes in fish roaster).

Break into small pieces.

3.

Toast nori over burner until crispy, and cut thinly with scissors.

Chop mitsuba.

4.

In a pot, put dashi, usukuchi soy sauce, sake and mirin, and bring to boil.

Taste, and add salt as necessary.
Keep hot.

5.

Bring some water (1500-2000 cc) to a boil.
In a strainer, place steamed rice, and pour boiling water to smooth rice grains.

Put rice in individual bowls, and top with shiozake.

Pour flavored dashi. 

Top with nori and mitsuba, and sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds.

<Notes>

• If using leftover or frozen rice, first heat it up, and pour boiling water as in Process 4.
• Pouring boiling water over rice is to get rid of the crumbly surface of cooked rice grains, which makes the soup cloudy and somewhat thick. This ensures a “refined” taste; if of no concern, you can skip this process.
• If using leftover grilled shiozake, first heat it up, ideally in the oven (toaster). A toasty texture and aroma takes this dish to the next level.
• Toppings can be anything you like – typically something with a distinctive aroma is used, including sliced green onion, shiso perilla leaves, myoga Japanese ginger buds and wasabi horseradish, along with something crunchy such as tiny pearl-shaped rice crackers. Be creative.
• Another typical ochazuke is made with tea (of your choice, including sencha and hojicha).