Post by Alison Hein.

If you order breakfast in Japan, don’t expect to see any eggs, bacon or hash browns. Traditional asagohan consists of soup and rice, usually served with broiled fish, and flanked by multiple side dishes, such as vegetables, pickles and fruit.

When I kindly asked my good friend Chiharu (I said pretty please!) to make breakfast for me, she came up with the following amazing menu:

Chiharu’s Traditional Japanese Breakfast Menu
Salmon Teriyaki
Shaved Bermuda Onion with Bonito Flakes and Ponzu Sauce
Spicy Chinese Daikon and Refreshing Japanese Cucumber Pickles
Miso Soup
Rice
Seasoned Seaweed with Soy Sauce
Just-Picked Bermuda Strawberries

The showcase of this fabulous meal was Chiharu’s Broiled Salmon Teriyaki. As simple as it is succulent, Chiharu broils the fish until almost cooked through, then coats it with homemade teriyaki sauce for the final minute or so. “Don’t add the teriyaki sauce too soon,” she advises, “or the sauce will burn and ruin the fish.”

Chiharu deftly pulled the fish out from under the broiler, removed the skin, added a few lemon slices and topped it with a sprinkling of yuzu shichimi, or “seven spices.” Like an artist, she sauced, plated, arranged and served a dazzling, traditional breakfast. Maybe next time I’ll tell you about Chiharu’s dessert menu. J

Broiled Salmon Teriyaki

Ingredients

2 pieces thin-cut salmon filet with skin on, about ¼ to ⅓ of a pound each
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
Lemon slices, for garnish
Yuzu shichimi (optional – available in Asian specialty stores)

Preparation

Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wash and dry salmon, and remove any remaining bones. Place salmon on foil, skin side down. Broil fish about 4 inches from heat for about 5 to 7 minutes until almost cooked. Remove salmon from broiler and pour teriyaki sauce evenly over the filets. Return to broiler and cook for another minute or so until fish is cooked through. Transfer salmon to plates, removing skin if you like, and garnish with lemon slices. Sprinkle with yuzu shichimi.

Makes 2 servings.

Chiharu’s Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup sake
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

Add all ingredients to a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until sauce is thickened and has a glassy look. Cool, transfer to bottle and store in a cool, dry place.

Makes about 2 cups.