Salmon Chanchan-yaki (Hokkaido Miso Butter Salmon)
鮭のちゃんちゃん焼き · Sake no Chanchan-yaki
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Chanchan-yaki is a classic from Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, where salmon and a pile of vegetables are cooked together on a hot griddle and finished with miso and butter. In this preschool version, the salmon goes into the pan straight from frozen on a sheet of nonstick foil, so there is no thawing and no sticking, and everything is steamed gently at the end so the vegetables turn soft and sweet. The mild, slightly sweet miso-butter sauce coats every bite, which is what wins over children who are usually wary of fish or peppers.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 67.5 gfrozen salmon
- 15 gonion
- 6 gcarrot
- 11.3 gshimeji mushroomsSmall brown-capped mushrooms sold in clusters, with a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a pleasant chew. Substitute: Oyster mushrooms or sliced button mushrooms.
- 30 gcabbage
- 11.3 ggreen bell pepper
Seasonings
- 3.6 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- 1.2 gsugar
- 1.5 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 1.7 gsoy sauce
- 3 gunsalted butter
- 30 gwater
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- shimeji mushrooms (ぶなしめじ)
- Small brown-capped mushrooms sold in clusters, with a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a pleasant chew. Substitute: Oyster mushrooms or sliced button mushrooms.
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
- 1
Thinly slice the onion; cut the carrot, cabbage, and green bell pepper into thin strips; and separate the shimeji mushrooms into small clusters.
- 2
Mix the miso, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce together and set aside.
- 3
Line a frying pan with nonstick foil (foil made for frying pans), place the salmon on it still frozen, and cover with a lid. Set over medium heat; after about 5 minutes, remove the lid and flip the salmon, then keep cooking over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes until both sides are nicely browned. Lift the salmon out of the pan, foil and all.
- 4
In the same pan, warm the butter. Once it has melted, add all the vegetables from step 1 and stir-fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes; when they are lightly browned, turn off the heat.
- 5
Spread the vegetables out evenly, place the salmon on top, and pour the mixed seasonings over everything. Add the water around the edge of the pan, cover, and steam-cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
A 26 cm (10-inch) frying pan is used in the video.
If you use fresh (unfrozen) salmon, sprinkle a pinch of salt over it and let it sit briefly before cooking.
Once the miso goes in, the pan scorches easily. If the liquid at the bottom of the pan starts to dry up while steaming, add a little water as needed so nothing burns.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 141 kcal | 282 kcal | 141 kcal |
| Protein | 16.8 g | 33.6 g | 16.8 g |
| Fat | 5.9 g | 11.7 g | 5.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5.9 g | 11.7 g | 5.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 31.5 mg | 63 mg | 31.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | 1.5 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 141 kcal | 16.8 g | 5.9 g | 5.9 g | 0.8 g | 31.5 mg | 0.8 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 282 kcal | 33.6 g | 11.7 g | 11.7 g | 1.5 g | 63 mg | 1.5 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Cooking for bigger kids? See the elementary-school portion of this recipe.
