Salmon Tataki

This delicious raw preparation Salmon dish is just as simple and tasty as it’s more popular Tuna cousin. A Salmon Tataki is a classic Japanese dish consisting of good quality Salmon that is coated in Sesame Seeds before being lightly seared on all sides. The outside of the Salmon becomes a wonderfully aromatic and flavorful crispy coating, with the inside remaining raw. It’s a fun dish to make at home and tastes great

How to make Salmon Tataki

The key step in this whole dish has nothing to do with the kitchen. Instead, the dish is going to rely almost entirely on the quality of the Salmon you get your hands on. For this recipe you absolutely must use Sashimi-grade Salmon, ensuring that it’s perfectly safe to eat raw

You can get Sashimi-grade Salmon at most high-end grocery stores these days, and definitely at any good quality fishmonger. If you are unsure if the Salmon you are purchasing is Sashimi quality, just ask the fish monger and they’ll steer you in the right direction

For this recipe we’re making an appetizer quantity, so one large Salmon Filet is probably going to be enough. Of course, you can scale the quantity of the recipe according to how many people you are feeding. 1 Salmon Filet is an ideal amount for 2 people to share as an appetizer

Preparing the Salmon

The Japanese take their knife work seriously. In fact, there are folks who spend decades mastering the art of cutting fish for Sashimi. As we’re simply making a Salmon Tataki at home there’s no need for any specific skills, just a sharp knife

A sharp knife is going to be the key to ensure unform cuts of the Salmon, both when it’s about to be served (once seared), but also when you prepare the filets as the first step one you begin this recipe. We want to use the larger section of the Filet which is known as the loin. The thinner parts at the bottom of the Salmon can be cut away

Do not discard them though, this part of the Salmon Filet is known as the belly and contains the most delicious tasting Salmon. Keep it on the side and serve it alongside the simple sauce we make for a tasty treat

What you should be left with is a lovely rectangular piece of Salmon loin, which will be perfect for making Salmon Tataki. Also, this dish does not require the skin of the Salmon, so either purchase Salmon with the skin removed, or remove it yourself. You can check out our simple video below on how to remove Salmon skin

Coat the Salmon in Sesame Seeds

This step is simple, and fun! Scatter a bunch of Sesame Seeds out over a plate and place one side of the fish over them. Run some Neutral Oil over all sides of the Salmon, ensuring even coverage (about 1 tbsp. should be enough). Press down lightly to fully coat that side of the Salmon. The stickiness of the Salmon should ensure a nice, even coating of Sesame Seeds all over

Repeat this process to cover all sides of the Salmon, including the end parts. We want the whole Salmon to be completely coated in Sesame Seeds. I like to add some more Sesame Seeds to the plate as I go instead of adding a huge amount at the start. This will help ensure there’s no wastage, as any leftover Sesame Seeds will need to be discarded

Cooking Salmon Tataki

With the Salmon prepared we’re moving onto the final step, cooking it! This step is simple. You want to place a nonstick frying pan over the highest heat on your stovetop and let it get smoky hot. Once hot, place the Salmon down onto the pan and sear for 20 – 30 seconds, just enough time to begin to brown the Sesame Seeds, but not burn them

Using tongs, turn the salmon and continue searing until you brown all sides. Make sure you also sear the end pieces too, which is best done by simply holding the Salmon with tongs. Once you sear all sides, remove the salmon, place it on a plate, and put it in the refrigerator. This step ensures the Salmon doesn’t continue to cook from residual heat

Preparing a simple Sauce right before serving

Japanese food is all about simplicity, so for our Sauce we’re keeping things very easy. In fact, only 2 ingredients are used to make the Sauce for our Salmon Tataki. Combine equal parts Soy Sauce and Lemon Juice in a bowl and mix well

When it’s time to serve, all you need to do is pour the Sauce onto a bowl or plate. Remove the Salmon from the refrigerator and, using that sharp knife, cut it into individual strips. Place the Salmon on top of the Sauce and finish with a sprinkling of sliced Scallions and serve

Salmon Tataki Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Sashimi-grade Salmon Filet, skin removed
• 3 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
• 1 tbsp. Neutral Oil (Vegetable or Canola Oil)
• 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp. Lemon Juice
• ¼ cup Scallions, finely diced
  
  

Instructions

1. Cut away the Salmon Loin (thicker part) from the filet to create an evenly sized, rectangular shape. Retain the Salmon Belly piece to eat on the side
2. Coat the prepared Salmon Loin with Neutral Oil on all sides. Scatter half the Sesame Seeds on a plate and place the Salmon on top. Press down lightly to coat with Sesame Seeds. Repeat on all sides, adding additional Sesame Seeds as needed
3. Place a non-stick frying pan on the stovetop over high heat until smoking hot, then carefully place the Salmon onto the pan. Sear on all sides (including the ends) for 20 – 30 seconds to brown but not blacken the Sesame Seeds
4. Once all sides are seared, remove from heat and refrigerate for 1 hour to stop any residual cooking
5. Combine the Soy Sauce and Lemon Juice in a bowl and mix well. When ready to serve, pour sauce onto a bowl or plate. Slice the Salmon into pieces and place on top of the Sauce. Finish with Scallions and serve
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Make sure you are using Sashimi-grade Salmon, as this dish is served raw
• This dish is enough for an appetizer for 2 people. You can scale the recipe based on how many people you are serving
  
  

This wonderfully simple recipe for Salmon Tataki is a great dish to try some authentic Japanese cooking at home. The simplicity of the dish hides the amazing flavors, which are brought together with the combination of a wonderful piece of Sashimi-grade Salmon, a smoky Sesame Seed coating, and a delicious Soy and Lemon Juice Sauce. The result is a fun and tasty appetizer everyone can enjoy

For more tasty Seafood Appetizers just like this one, check out these delicious recipes:

• Santa Fe Shrimp Ceviche
• Salmon Tartare with Mint and Peas
• Kingfish Crudo with Jalapenos
• Salt and Pepper Squid
  
  

Happy Cooking!