Salmon Nanbanzuke

1. Gather all the ingredients.

To Make the Nanban Marinade

1. In a rectangular container with a lid, combine ¾ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), 3 Tbsp usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce or regular soy sauce, and 3 Tbsp sugar.
2. Add 2 Tbsp sake and 2 Tbsp mirin.
3. Cut ½ carrot into 2-inch pieces and slice them into slabs.
4. Then, cut the slabs into julienned strips. Thinly slice ½ onion widthwise (to give texture and keep the onion‘s shape after cooking).
5. Remove the seeds from ½ green bell pepper and cut it into julienned strips.
6. Heat a large frying pan and when it’s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Add the onion and sauté.
7. Once the onions are coated with oil, add the carrot and bell pepper.
8. When the vegetables are coated with oil and wilted but still crisp (don’t overcook), transfer them to the marinade. Set aside.

To Prepare the Salmon

1. If your 1 lb salmon has skin, you can easily remove it by holding the salmon with a knife in one hand and slowly pulling the skin from the corner with the other hand (see images below). Salmon skin is really delicious when it‘s cooked until crispy. I‘ll show you how to prepare it below. For now, set aside the skin on a plate, cover it with plastic, and refrigerate.
2. Once you‘ve removed the skin, cut the salmon into a few blocks.
3. Then cut each block into bite-sized pieces, roughly ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick.
4. Season the salmon with ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
5. In the same frying pan, heat the remaining ⅞ Tbsp neutral oil over medium heat.
6. Sprinkle 4 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch over the salmon and coat well.
7. Remove the excess starch.
8. When the oil is hot, add the salmon in the pan (do not crowd the pan as the oil temperature will drop too quickly). Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the salmon). You can use a splatter screen to avoid oil splatter.
9. Once the salmon is cooked, shake off the oil well and transfer the salmon while it‘s hot to the marinade.
10. Continue frying the rest of the salmon.
11. When you finish frying all the salmon, put the vegetables in the marinade on top of the salmon so the fish is completely submerged in the marinade.
12. Cover with the lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or preferably overnight.

To Serve

1. To crisp the salmon skin (optional): Sprinkle salt on the salmon skin and bake at 325ºF (160ºC) in the oven or toaster oven for 30 minutes, or until it‘s crispy. The skin will cook in its own oil. Once it‘s crispy, break it into smaller pieces and use them as a garnish when serving.
2. Serve the vegetables from the marinade on a plate and top with the salmon.
3. Garnish with lemon slices, parsley, and baked salmon skin. Serve it chilled.

To Store

1. You can keep the dish in the refrigerator for up to 5–6 days.