Japanese Sesame-Crusted Salmon

While the rice is cooking, chop the broccoli into 2 cm florets and roughly chop the stalk. Finely slice the carrot (unpeeled). Peel and crush the garlic. Finely grate the ginger. Finely slice the spring onion (keep the white and green parts separate). Finely slice the long red chilli (if using).

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, water (for the dressing) and olive oil (2 tsp for 2 people / 1 tbs for 4 people) and mix to combine. Set aside.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate. Drizzle the skin side of the salmon with olive oil then press down in the sesame seeds to coat. Cook the salmon, skin side down, for 4-5 minutes, or until it’s crispy and the seeds are golden. Flip the salmon and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. TIP: Using your spatula, press the skin side of the salmon down onto the pan for the first 30 seconds of cooking time. This ensures an evenly cooked, flat skin.

Return the frying pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the broccoli and carrot and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until just tender. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion (white parts) and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 of the ginger-soy dressing and stir-fry for a further 1-2 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.