Soy Ginger Steamed Salmon, Basmati and Broccoli.

This tasty Asian dish is a staple on my meal plan. It’s suitable for both Crohn’s sufferers and ileostomates, plus it tastes better than any Chinese takeaway I can remember eating! It’s also ready in under 25 minutes. I consider the dressing a healthier, less sugar-laden alternative to teriyaki sauce, but it’s equally delicious.

Time:

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 12 minutes

Total= 22 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 x boneless salmon fillet

60 g x Basmati rice

1 x cup broccoli florets

1 x teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 x teaspoons soy sauce

1 x teaspoon finely cubed fresh ginger

1 x large crushed garlic clove

1 x pinch cinnamon

1 x handful finely shredded spring onion for garnish (if you’re an ostomate like me, just leave this off)

 

Instructions:

1. Weigh and rinse the rice under a cool tap to get rid of the excess starch, place into a large saucepan.
2. Chop about 1 cup’s worth of broccoli and place into a separate saucepan.
3. Peel and finely dice an inch-sized piece of fresh ginger and place into a small mixing bowl. Crush the garlic in with the ginger.
4. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce and cinnamon and combine well.
5. Place the salmon fillet onto a bed of tin foil inside a single-tier bamboo steamer. If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, you could use a metal steamer basket, or just bake the salmon in the oven instead using a similar set up (see below for adaption).
6. Pour the dressing over the salmon, making sure to distribute the ginger and garlic pieces evenly.
7. Boil some water and put the rice on a gentle simmer to cook for 10 minutes.
8. With about 8 minutes to go on the rice, boil the broccoli and then cook at a steady simmer.
9. Now place the bamboo steamer lid firmly over the salmon and place the whole steamer in a wok/ wide-based saucepan.
10. Pour enough boiling water into the base of the work so that the water level is about 1 cm above the base of the steamer. Keep the heat on low-medium, you should see little bubbles forming in the water around the base of the steamer and gentle steam coming from the steamer lid.
11. Cook the salmon at a steady temperature without removing the steamer lid for about 8 minutes. If the water level gets too low (i.e. you can no longer see any water), pour more boiling water into the base of the wok as needed, just be careful not to pour in more than 1-2 centimetres as you might drown the salmon!
12. At the end of the 8 minutes, drain the rice and broccoli. Remove the steamer lid and use a fork to check that the salmon is cooked. It should be light pink, flaky, and tender, and the ginger/ garlic pieces should have softened.
13. Serve on a warm plate and pour the remaining dressing over the salmon.

 

Recipe adaption: If you don’t have a steamer, you can bake the salmon in the oven in a foil parcel on a tray. Use the same instructions above to make the dressing, pour it over the salmon and wrap in foil. Bake for about 18 minutes at 180 degrees, or until flaky and tender.