Using a steamer makes it so easy to make this simple Asian steamed salmon and rice recipe which I've served with a ginger, garlic and chilli sauce. It's easy, healthy and full of flavour.
I've only recently got my steamer (Progress by WW) but I'm finding it really useful for cooking rice and other veggies, especially those that are served with a strong and powerful sauce to give them lots of flavour, just like this dish!
I didn't realise it until recently but cooking rice in a steamer is such an easy way to cook it. It turns out perfectly every time and as I have a 3 level steamer I can cook the rice, the salmon and the veggies all at the same time in the same applicance! Now that must be more economical than using three different pans on the hob!
You might think that steamed food can be a bit bland and boring but I've made sure this steamed salmon and rice recipe definitely isn't by making a spicy Asian sauce on the hob to drizzle on top.
I made the aromatic sauce by frying ginger, garlic and chillies in a small saucepan. As soon as they begin to crisp up and brown, add soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and sugar. Heat through and pour over the salmon, rice and veggies. Trust me, it tastes amazing!
Ingredient notes
To make this you'll need:
- Rice - I use jasmine rice as it cooks really well in the steamer and works perfectly with the Chinese flavours in this dish. You could use an alternative rice instead. If you end up using wholegrain rice it will take a little bit longer to steam though. I would steam wholegrain rice for about 25 minutes instead of 15.
- Salmon - I use salmon for this recipe but you could use trout instead or replace it with white fish. I think cod, haddock or pollock would all work really well. If people in your family like different fish you can mix and match too.
- Teriyaki sauce - I use a bottle of teriyaki sauce for this. It adds a little flavour to the salmon so you're not just relying on the sauce that you serve with it.
- Vegetables - I have used broccoli and carrots but you can use different vegetables. If you use vegetables such as sugar snap peas and baby corn they will steam more quickly so consider that when setting up the steamer.
And for the sauce you'll need:
- Cooking oil - I just use vegetable oil but you could use coconut oil or any other oil that you prefer to use for stir fries.
- Aromatics - Fresh garlic, root ginger and chilli peppers. These crisp up a little as you fry them and add loads of flavour to the sauce.
- Soy sauce - I use a light soy sauce
- Mirin - You can substitute this with shaoxing wine or even sherry.
- Sesame oil - This adds a lovely nutty flavour to the sauce.
- Sugar - I add just a little caster sugar for a little sweetness. You could use honey instead.
How to make steamed salmon and rice with the chilli garlic and ginger sauce
Thirty minutes before you begin to cook, coat the salmon in the teriyaki sauce and set aside to marinate.
To make this recipe as I have done in a steamer then you will need an electric steamer or a steamer that goes on the hob with three baskets. I used the Progress by WW 3-Tier Steamer.
First put the rice in the rice bowl and just cover with water. Put it in the steamer and set the timer for 15 minutes.
If you are using carrots and broccoli they will take about 10 minutes to steam and so after 5 minutes, put them in another steamer basket and stack it above the steamer.
The fish cooks very quickly so will only take about 5 minutes. So, after 5 more minutes, add the basket with the fish to the steamer as well.
When the fish is cooking, make the sauce. Heat the cooking oil in a small saucepan, add the aromatics and stir fry till beginning to brown and crisp up. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and sugar and heat through. Spoon this sauce over the fish, vegetables and rice to serve.
Can you make this recipe if you don't have a steamer?
Yes you can, check out the recipe card further down the page for full details. You can use the hob and the microwave to cook everything instead.
Can you adapt the recipe?
Yes of course! You don't have to use salmon. You can use a different fish or tofu instead.
You can also vary the vegetables you use. This works well with peppers, mangetouts, baby corn, green beans. In fact, there are so many vegeteables that would work instead of the carrots and broccoli that I used here. The only thing that might change is that some vegetables steam much more quickly. Plus, I had quite chunky pieces of carrot and broccoli which meant a longer cooking time than if you cut them up into smaller pieces.
If you feel the sauce doesn't have enough of a kick then add spoonful of chilli oil to it. If you're using fresh chillies they can vary so much in heat so it's good to be flexible with how many you use to suit your family's tastes.
What can you do with the leftovers?
If you have leftover rice, cool and refrigerate it as soon as possible after it has steamed. It will keep for up to three days in the fridge. You can eat it cold in a rice salad, use it to make fried rice or reheat in the microwave and serve as a hot side dish.
If you have leftover fish it will also keep for three days and can also be eaten cold or reheated in the oven or microwave. I find leftover fish is never as good when reheated though so I prefer to just cook the amount I know we will eat.
Leftover steamed veggies can also served in all kinds of ways, either cold or reheated.
Keep any of the sauce in a little pot for up to three days too and reheat it in the microwave if you want to serve it again.
Why use a steamer to cook this dish?
If you're wondering what the benefits are of using a steamer then this is why I love mine:
- It saves on electricity or gas as everything is cooked in one applicance rather than having to use multiple pans on the hob.
- It's a healthy way to cook as you don't need to use oil to fry the salmon or veggies.
- It's also healthy in that it's harder to overcook food and preserves more nutrients.
- It's very easy to wash everything up in the dishwasher and you don't get food burnt on to the steamer as you can when you're cooking on the hob.
Recipe
Steamed salmon and rice with an chilli garlic and ginger sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g jasmine rice Feel free to use basmati instead or another different rice.
- 300 g salmon
- 2 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
- 100 g broccoli cut into florets
- 150 g carrots cut into batons
Ingredients for the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil I use vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15 g root ginger
- 1-2 chilli peppers
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Half an hour before cooking, coat the salmon in the teriyaki sauce and leave it to marinate.
- Fill the bowl at the bottom of the steamer with hot water according to the instructions. My steamer takes about 400ml water.
- Put the rice in the rice bowl and pour hot water on top to just cover it.
- Put the rice on the steamer and set it for 15 minutes. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes, put the bowl with the vegetables on the steamer, under the rice. Set another 5 minute timer.
- When the timer goes, put the bowl with the fish under the rice and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- When the fish is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan and when hot, add the ginger, garlic and chilli pepper. Fry until it begins to crisp up but make sure it doesn't burn. Then add the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and sugar. Bring to the boil and stir well.
- Divide the fish, vegetables and rice between two plates and spoon the sauce over the top.
Instructions for if you don't have a steamer
Rice
- Just boil the rice and drain it. Or use a bag of ready cooked microwave rice.
Salmon
- You can gently pan fry the salmon for about 5 minutes then turn it over and cook the other side for 5 more minutes.Alternatively you can cook it in the microwave. Put it in a microwave bowl and cover with cling film or a microwave lid and cook on high for 1 minutes. Check if it is done and flakes easily. If not it may need 20-30 seconds longer.
The Vegetables
- You can boil the vegetables or microwave them. If you microwave them, put them in a bowl with a little water and cook for about 3 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Chinese inspired recipes
If you like this dish then why not try one of these recipes next:
And if you're just looking for more salmon recipes then try these tandoori air fried salmon tacos!
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this steamed fish and rice or any of my other recipes. I love to get feedback from readers.
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