Zuke King Salmon with Shio Kombu by Cheng Lin

In a saucepan, combine the mirin and sake and boil over medium heat, set alight when boiling, and wait for the fire to go out. Add the soy sauce until boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

In a pot, add the water and dashi kombu together, turn on the heat until boiling, reduce to low, and cook for 30 minutes. Add 100g katsuobushi, cook for another 30 minutes, and filter the dashi.

Combine the zuke soy with 9 cups of dashi. Set aside and let it cool down.

Using a blowtorch or charcoal, lightly sear the skin side of the king salmon filet until it has a slight char. Flip the filet and sear the meat side slightly for a subtle char. Cool the salmon and place it in the chilled salmon zuke soy, covering with 50g of katsuobushi. Let it marinate overnight in the fridge (my favorite time for marinating is overnight, not more than 24 hours).

Heat neutral oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the kombu for about 2 minutes until it turns brown. Remove the kombu with a spider or slotted spoon and place it on paper towels to drain. Dehydrate the fried kombu overnight in a dehydrator or oven. Blend the dehydrated kombu into a fine powder using a blender.

Remove the salmon from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the salmon into sashimi-sized portions. Sprinkle a pinch of the shio kombu powder over each slice. Grate fresh wasabi over the top for added flavor (optional).

Arrange the salmon slices artfully on a plate and serve immediately. Enjoy the rich umami flavors and delicate textures.