A Japanese teishoku is a home-style meal set built around rice, soup, a main dish, and small sides; the exact combination varies by region and household. This version pairs simply salted grilled salmon with steamed rice, miso soup, sesame spinach, and quick cucumber pickles for a varied meal that can be served together at the table.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (370 g) Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cups (530 ml) water for cooking the rice, or the amount recommended for your rice cooker
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz (170 g) each, skin on or off
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, for the salmon
- 4 cups (950 ml) water for the soup
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant dashi granules, or 4 cups (950 ml) prepared dashi
- 7 oz (200 g) firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried wakame
- 3 tablespoons (54 g) white or awase miso
- 10 oz (280 g) fresh spinach, washed and thick stems trimmed
- 3 tablespoons (27 g) toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce, for the spinach
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar, for the spinach
- 1 lb (450 g) Japanese or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, for the cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar, for the pickles
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, optional garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and soak the rice. Put the rice in a bowl and cover it with cool water. Swish it gently, pour off the cloudy water, and repeat three or four times, until the water is less cloudy. Drain well, cover the rice with fresh water, and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Drain again. This short soak helps the grains cook evenly; if you are using a rice cooker, follow its water markings rather than adding the listed cooking water automatically.
- Start the quick pickles. Put the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and toss them with the pickle salt. Leave for 15 minutes, then squeeze or drain off the liquid. Mix in the rice vinegar and sugar. Set aside while you make the rest of the meal, stirring once or twice so the slices are seasoned evenly. These are lightly pickled cucumbers, not shelf-stable preserves, so keep them refrigerated if they are not being served soon.
- Cook the rice. Put the drained rice and 2 1/4 cups (530 ml) water in a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and leave the covered pot undisturbed for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a rice paddle or fork. If using a rice cooker, start it after soaking and let the cooker complete its normal cycle and short rest.
- Season and grill the salmon. Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and lightly oil it if needed. Cook the salmon, skin-side down first if it has skin, for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer: fish must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Remove it promptly once it reaches that temperature; cooking time varies with the fillet’s thickness and the pan.
- Make the miso soup. While the salmon cooks, bring the 4 cups (950 ml) water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and stir in the dashi granules until dissolved. Add the tofu and wakame and simmer for about 3 minutes, until the wakame has softened and the tofu is hot. Turn the heat to low. In a small bowl, loosen the miso with a ladleful of hot broth, then stir it back into the pan. Warm gently for about 1 minute without boiling; a hard boil can dull the miso’s aroma. If using prepared dashi instead of water and granules, heat the dashi and continue from the tofu step.
- Prepare the sesame spinach. Bring a pot of water to a boil and set a bowl of cold water nearby. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 to 45 seconds, just until wilted. Transfer it to the cold water, drain, and gently squeeze out excess water. Cut it into manageable lengths. Grind or crush the sesame seeds in a mortar, or rub them between your fingers, then mix with the soy sauce and sugar. Toss the spinach with the sesame dressing shortly before serving.
- Set out the meal. Divide the rice among four bowls and ladle the soup into small bowls. Serve one salmon fillet per person with a portion of sesame spinach and cucumber pickles. Scatter sliced scallions over the soup if you like. The set is ready to eat while the rice is warm and the fish is freshly cooked.
Tips
- Choose a dashi that suits your pantry. Dashi is the savory Japanese stock that gives miso soup its characteristic depth. Instant dashi granules make this recipe convenient; check the package for its suggested quantity and ingredients. For a more traditional stock, use prepared kombu-and-bonito dashi in place of the water and granules. The flavor will be more rounded, and some dashi granules contain fish, so read labels if you need a fish-free soup.
- Use miso gently. White miso tastes milder and sweeter, while red miso is stronger and saltier; awase is a blend. Start with the listed amount, taste, and add a little more if desired. Miso varies in saltiness, so avoid adding extra salt to the soup before tasting it.
- Keep the rice covered. Resist lifting the lid while it simmers, because escaping steam can leave the grains unevenly cooked. If the rice cooker instructions differ from the saucepan method, follow the cooker directions. Short-grain rice is the closest match for this style; medium-grain rice works, but long-grain rice will be less sticky.
- Do not overcook the greens or salmon. Spinach needs only a brief blanch, and squeezing it after cooling keeps the dressing from becoming watery. Salmon thickness affects its cooking time more than the clock does, so use a thermometer rather than relying only on the suggested minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the components in separate bowls, as is common for a Japanese set meal, rather than mixing them into one plate. A typical place setting has rice on the left, soup on the right, and the main dish and small sides arranged within reach. The arrangement is flexible, not a strict rule, and serving everything family-style is practical for a shared table.
Set out chopsticks and a spoon for the soup if that is useful. Offer extra soy sauce or a lemon wedge for the salmon, but taste the fish first because its salt seasoning is meant to be enough on its own. Green tea or cold water makes a simple drink alongside the meal. If you want another side, add a small bowl of edamame or a few pieces of chilled tomato without making the meal overly complicated.
Variations
For a different main dish, replace the salmon with skin-on mackerel or another fish fillet and cook it to 145°F (63°C), checked with a food thermometer. A thin pork loin cutlet or grilled chicken can also fit a home-style set; cook pork to 145°F (63°C) and allow a 3-minute rest, or poultry to 165°F (74°C). Keep the sides the same for an easy way to change the meal while preserving the rice-and-soup structure.
For a vegetarian set, omit fish-based dashi and choose a kombu-based or clearly labeled vegetarian dashi; bonito-based stock is not vegetarian. Add extra tofu or serve grilled mushrooms as the main. You can also replace spinach with blanched green beans, broccoli, or komatsuna, a Japanese mustard green. Sesame dressing works with each, though denser vegetables may need a little more dressing.
To vary the pickles, use thinly sliced daikon or carrots in place of some of the cucumber. If you cannot find wakame, leave it out or add thinly sliced scallion; the soup will still work, though it will lose the seaweed texture. White sesame seeds are the usual choice for the spinach, while black sesame provides a more pronounced, slightly earthier look and flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, storing rice, salmon, soup, greens, and pickles separately in covered containers. Most cooked components keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. For the best texture, keep the cucumber pickles apart from the warm foods, and do not leave rice sitting at room temperature while the meal is being cleared away.
Reheat only the portions you plan to eat. Warm salmon, soup, and rice until they reach 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer where practical. Add a spoonful of water to rice before covering and microwaving so it does not dry out; stir soup during heating and bring it fully hot, without prolonged boiling. Spinach is best eaten cold or at room temperature, but it can be briefly warmed. The cucumbers are most appealing chilled and should not be reheated.
Freeze cooked rice or salmon in airtight portions for up to about 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Miso soup can be frozen, although tofu and wakame may become softer after thawing. Do not freeze the cucumber pickles if you want them to stay crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does teishoku mean?
A teishoku is a set meal, often served with a bowl of rice, soup, a main dish, and one or more sides. The contents vary, so this salmon set is one practical home-style combination rather than a fixed template.
Can I prepare parts of this meal ahead?
Yes. Make the cucumber pickles up to a day ahead and refrigerate them. Wash and trim the spinach earlier in the day, and measure the soup ingredients in advance. Rice is best cooked close to serving, though cooked rice can be chilled promptly and reheated safely to 165°F (74°C).
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes. Thaw it in the refrigerator, pat it dry, and season just before cooking. A wet surface can make the fish steam rather than brown. Use the same thermometer check of 145°F (63°C), since fillet thickness and starting temperature affect the cooking time.
What can replace dashi granules?
Use 4 cups (950 ml) prepared dashi in place of the water and granules. Kombu-and-bonito dashi is a common traditional option; kombu-only dashi works for a vegetarian soup. If you have neither, water will make a simpler soup, but it will not have dashi’s savory depth.
Is this meal gluten-free?
Not automatically. Some soy sauces, miso pastes, and instant dashi products contain wheat or other ingredients with gluten. Check each label and choose certified gluten-free versions where needed; tamari can replace soy sauce in the spinach dressing, although its flavor and salt level may differ.
Can I make the set without a grill pan?
Yes. Use a preheated heavy skillet or cook the salmon under a broiler, turning it as needed for even cooking. Watch closely because broilers vary, and always confirm that the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C) with a thermometer.
Related
- Tempura Japanese Recipe: Crisp Vegetables at Home
- Japanese Takoyaki Recipe for Crisp, Savory Octopus Balls
- Traditional Japanese Udon Curry with Dashi and Beef
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).