Furikake Kewpie Mayo Salmon
Aunty's Pantry: Mainland Supermarket Hacks
The red-capped squeeze bottle of Kewpie is your best defense against dry salmon. It drives the aunties who arrive at weekend potlucks wielding foil trays of this exact dish: slathering salmon in seasoned Japanese mayonnaise creates an impenetrable lipid barrier that traps the fish’s natural juices under high heat, all while acting as the perfect glue for a heavy crust of umami-packed furikake. It is a twenty-minute weeknight answer to feeding the family—skip the culinary training, just empty a jar of furikake over the fish and slide the tray under the broiler until the edges blister.
Before you start
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
Tempering the fish allows the chill to drop off, ensuring the dense flesh cooks evenly without burning the crust.
Thoroughly pat the salmon bone-dry with paper towels.
This is a non-negotiable step; if the surface is wet, the fish will steam and the mayonnaise glaze will slide right off.
Ingredients
- skin-on salmon fillet1 1/2 lb
- Kewpie mayonnaise1/3 cup
- shoyu or soy sauce1 tbsp
- Nori Komi furikake4 tbsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
The foil ensures easy cleanup as the high heat will cause some of the fish oils to render.
- 02
Mix the mayonnaise binder.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Kewpie mayonnaise and shoyu until it forms a smooth, caramel-colored sauce.
- 03
Slather the salmon with the mayonnaise mixture.
Place the dried salmon skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet, season lightly with salt and pepper, and spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the top to create a solid, opaque layer.
- 04
Create the heavy furikake crust.
Rain down the furikake heavily over the mayonnaise until the fish is completely covered, then gently pat it down with your fingers so it adheres perfectly to the glue.
- 05
Bake the salmon for 12 to 15 minutes.
Bake on the center rack until the furikake is deeply toasted and the salmon yields and flakes easily when gently pressed with a fork at its thickest point.
- 06
Let the fish rest before serving.
Allow the salmon to rest on the hot pan for 3 minutes before cutting into portions and serving immediately over steaming bowls of short-grain white rice.
Notes
Substitute mainland mayonnaise with a simple hack.
If you only have standard American mayonnaise like Hellmann's, whisk in 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar and a tiny pinch of sugar to mimic the tang of authentic Kewpie.
Adapt for the air fryer on a busy weeknight.
For an even faster meal, air fry the salmon skin-side down at 380°F for 8 to 10 minutes to create an incredibly crispy crust.
Serve as DIY hand-rolls.
Serve flaked apart in a bowl next to a stack of small roasted nori squares so kids can scoop the rice and salmon into the seaweed to build their own bites.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.