Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60ml) gluten-free tamari (see note) (naturally brewed soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons mirin (see note) (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon sake or shaohsing (Chinese rice wine) (see note)
• 4 skinless salmon fillets
• Steamed rice, to serve
• 1 teaspoon black (see note) or white sesame seeds

Pickled vegetables

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, seeds removed, very thinly sliced
• 100ml rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1/2 daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
• 2 tablespoons Japanese pickled ginger (see note), shredded

Method

• Step 1 Combine the tamari, sugar, mirin and sake in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Place fish in a shallow dish, pour over the tamari mixture, then marinate in the fridge for up to 30 minutes.
• Step 2 Meanwhile for the pickled vegetables, place the cucumber in a sieve set over the sink. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, then stand for 10 minutes. Rinse well, then pat dry with paper towel. Simmer the vinegar and sugar in a pan over low heat for 5 minutes. Cool slightly, then toss with cucumber, carrot, daikon and ginger. Chill while you cook salmon.
• Step 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a tray with baking paper. Place salmon on the tray, pour over the marinade and bake for 8-10 minutes until just cooked. Serve the salmon with rice and pickled vegetables, sprinkled with sesame seeds.