Scrumptious Sesame Salmon Bowls

I think I’ve had an Asian cuisine-inspired kick lately. First, the Daikon & Carrot Salad. Then, the Pho Soup. Now, these Sesame Salmon Brown Rice Bowls. This Sesame Curry Marinade for salmon is my go-to all by itself. It’s absolutely delicious, especially on grilled salmon in the summer, accompanying grilled vegetables. It’s my mom’s recipe, and you almost never need to find another marinade because it’s that good. It originally calls for toasted sesame seeds, but she found the seeds mostly burn while cooking so she substituted sesame oil. It may even be good as a salad dressing — who knows! As one of my last meals at home before moving to Boston, my mom combined this Sesame Curry Marinade with salmon, brown rice and fresh veggies. What a keeper. It was somehow light and heartier, flavorful and packed with veggies. I’m sure this will crop up in the future with new vegetable combinations.

Ingredients (makes 4).

For the Sesame Curry Marinade:

• 1/2 c reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 c light olive oil
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 1 t yellow curry
• 1/4 t ground black pepper

For the Bowl:

•  2 lbs fresh salmon, divided in 4 pieces (easier if skinless)
• 1 T sesame oil
• Reduced sodium soy sauce to taste
• 3 large Tuscan kale leaves, stems removed (how to easily here)
• 1 package broccolini, washed and cut into large pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped in large pieces
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 an avocado, cut into 8 slices (how to hind a ripe one here)
• 2 c cooked brown rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes to top (optional)
• 4 T toasted almonds to top (optional for a crunch)

Directions.

1. Prepare the ingredients for the marinade. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Marinade the salmon for 30 min. using most, but not all of the marinade. Be sure to keep some marinade aside that hasn’t touched the raw fish in case you want extra for the bowl.
3. Bake the salmon about 15 min, check, and then cook for an additional 5-7 min or until fully cooked through.
4. Sauté the broccolini and the chunks of orange bell pepper until cooked and tender in sesame oil and soy sauce. Toss in the kale and sauté until barely wilted.
5. Warm the brown rice. Spoon 1/2 c rice onto the bottom of each bowl. Top with 2 slices of avocado and 1/4 of the cucumbers slices.
6. Evenly distribute the kale, broccoli and peppers in each bowl. Top with 1 T of toasted almonds per bowl.
7. Top each bowl with a 4 oz. piece of salmon.
8. Enjoy!

Adapted from Skinny Taste‘s Seattle Asian Salmon Bowl.