Cooking with Spices For Dummies
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This traditional Japanese marinade is perfect for most fish steaks. Tuna or salmon are recommended, but you can also substitute swordfish. Seafood can be enhanced by a variety of spices, as this recipe shows.

[Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/evgenyb]
Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/evgenyb

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes; 15 to 30 minutes marinating time

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Spice meter: Mildly spiced

3/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced

1-1/2 to 2 pounds tuna or salmon steaks, about 1-inch thick

  1. In a shallow dish, combine the teriyaki sauce and scallions. Add the fish and turn to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, turning the fish once or twice.

  2. Remove the fish from the marinade. Reserve the marinade for basting.

  3. Preheat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil, basting occasionally and turning once, about 3 to 5 minutes per side until the fish is cooked through and is firm but not flaky.

Cut the fish into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes. Alternately thread the fish onto skewers with pieces of raw onion, bell pepper, or pineapple. Marinate for 20 to 40 minutes. Grill or broil, basting and turning the skewers occasionally, until the fish is cooked through, about 9 to 12 minutes.

Marinate London Broil or any steaks such as sirloin or filet in the teriyaki sauce for 1 hour. Grill or broil, basting occasionally, until the meat is cooked through to your taste: rare, medium-rare, or medium.

Per serving: Calories 294 (From Fat 73); Fat 8g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 63mg; Sodium 2,133mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 40g.

Teriyaki Sauce

This classic Japanese marinade can be used for steaks, pork chops, pork tenderloin, and chicken cutlets, as well as for tuna or salmon steaks. It will keep for 2 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. The recipe can be halved or doubled.

Yield: About 1 cup

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Spice meter: Mildly spiced

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup mirin or dry sherry

2 tablespoons sake or water

3 tablespoons sugar or honey

2 plump cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons Chinese sesame oil (optional)

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring once or twice, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil.

  2. Cool completely before using as a marinade. Store the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

  3. To use, pour the marinade over the meat, poultry, or seafood and turn the food to coat it. Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to 1 hour, turning occasionally. Broil or grill the food until it’s cooked as you prefer.

Sake is Japanese rice wine. Mirin is sweetened Japanese rice wine. Both are sold in Asian markets. Sake is also sold in wine and spirit shops.

You can substitute ginger liqueur for the sake or water in the recipe, but then omit the ginger that this recipe calls for.

Per serving: Calories 19 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 689mg; Carbohydrate 4g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 1g.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Jenna Holst is the author of Stews, (Hungry Minds, 1998) and Cooking Soups for Dummies, (Hungry Minds, 2001). Her work has been featured in many national magazines, including Food & Wine, Weight Watchers, and Reedbook. She has worked for many years as a food writer, culinary instructor, and consultant. Her clients have included several book publishers as well as PBS and cable television programs. Formerly a resident of New Jersey, she currently lives in South Africa.

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