Salmon Takikomi Gohan is a savory mixed rice dish made with flavorful salmon fillets, then topped with refreshing Mitsuba leaves and plump Ikura salmon roe. This comforting steamed rice is hearty enough to serve as a main dish alongside simple side dishes, yet it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. Any leftovers make a perfect Bento lunch or can be shaped into onigiri for an easy, delicious meal later on.
What’s Salmon Takikomi Gohan?
Takikomi Gohan is a traditional Japanese mixed rice dish where short-grain rice is cooked together with seasonings like soy sauce and sake, along with seasonal ingredients such as vegetables, mushrooms, or fish. As the rice cooks, it soaks up all the flavors, resulting in a savory and comforting dish. In this Salmon Takikomi Gohan, the preparation is quite simple—just lay salmon fillets over the uncooked rice and let the rice cooker do the rest. As it steams, the umami from the salmon infuses into the rice, making the fish the star of the dish.
While delicious on its own, you can easily customize Salmon Takikomi Gohan with a few finishing touches. Fresh Mitsuba leaves add a bright, herbal aroma that enhances the salmon while softening any hint of fishiness. A topping of Ikura (salmon roe) brings a burst of briny flavor and a delightful pop in every bite, creating a playful “Oyako” (parent-and-child) pairing with the salmon. If you prefer to reduce the fishiness even more, try adding thin slices of ginger root to the rice before cooking. Although Salmon Takikomi Gohan is meant to highlight the natural flavor of salmon, you can adjust it to suit your own taste.
What side dishes go with Salmon Takikomi Gohan?
Since Salmon Takikomi Gohan is already full of flavor, the side dishes should be simple so they highlight rather than compete with the main dish. Light accompaniments that add extra nutrition and a splash of color are just enough to round out the meal.
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Equipment
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt evenly over the salmon fillets, then pour sake over them. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Wash the rice and place it in the rice cooker’s inner bowl. Add salt, soy sauce, sake, and mirin, then add water up to the 2-cup line. Lay the salmon fillets on top of the rice and cook as you would for white rice.
- Coarsely cut Mitsuba leaves.
- Remove the salmon skin, then flake the salmon and mix it with the rice. Serve topped with ikura (salmon roe) and Mitsuba leaves.
