Scallion Ginger Salmon with Soy Dressing

Ingredients & substitutes

Salmon

I often use a big piece of salmon filet for this recipe as I like serving it as a Chinese-style sharing dish. You may also use smaller pieces and serve them individually.

No matter which way, make sure to choose the skin-on filets as the crispy skin is one of the highlights of the dish.

Don’t fancy salmon? Use other fish as substitutes, such as cod, hake, pollock, halibut, etc.

Scallions & ginger

When fried in oil, these two aromatics release incredible fragrance which is the key factor in the flavor profile of the dish. You may also add some cilantro (coriander) to enhance the taste.

The sauce

This recipe calls for a few common Chinese condiments to season:

• Light soy sauce provides savory and umami taste
• Shaoxing rice wine lends extra aroma
• White pepper adds some mild heat
• Sugar or honey balances the saltiness

Cooking procedure

You’d need a medium/large skillet (frying pan) to cook scallion ginger salmon. A heavy-bottom, non-stick one is preferable as it produces a better result.

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients 

Use kitchen paper to pat dry both sides of the salmon filet. This is to avoid splashing when putting it into the hot oil. Also, it helps to achieve the crispest skin possible. Evenly sprinkle a little salt over the flesh side of the fish.

Cut scallions and ginger into thin strips. Mix all the seasonings in a small bowl then set aside.

Step 2: Fry the aromatics

Pour oil (sunflower, canola, peanut, vegetable oil, etc.) into a skillet (frying pan) then add scallions and ginger.

Turn on the heat to medium. Leave to fry until the scallions start to wilt a little (they should be still in vibrant color).

Step 3: Fry the salmon

Push the scallions and ginger to the side then place the salmon, skin side facing downwards, over the hot oil. To ensure an even sear of the skin, press the fish with a spatula. Leave to cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Then gently flip over the filet (I use two spatulas, one on each side, to balance) to cook the other side for another 4 minutes.

🛎 During this process, remember to take out the scallions and ginger once they become a little golden. Be careful not to burn them.  

Step 4: Crispy the skin

Once the flesh side gains some golden color, flip over and turn the heat up to high. Fry the skin to make it extra crispy. This takes about 1 minute (Lift it a little to check the doneness).

Transfer the salmon to a serving plate (keep the skin side up to keep its crispiness) along with the flavored oil.

Step 5: Add the sauce 

Turn off the heat. Pour the sauce mixture into the empty skillet. Use the remaining heat of the skillet to warm up the sauce for just a few seconds (It’ll bubble up vigorously).

Pour the sauce around the salmon. Do not add it over the fish skin. Otherwise, it will go soggy. Sprinkle the fried scallions and ginger all over and serve immediately. 

Serve the dish

Scallion ginger salmon is a perfect dish for weeknight dinners. It goes very well with plain steamed rice, accompanied by some vegetable dishes. Sometimes, I also like using it to stuff folded bao buns (breaking the fish into small pieces and mixing them with the aromatics and sauce). Let me know how you like to enjoy it!

Other fish & seafood recipes

Looking for another way to cook salmon? My recipe for Sweet and Sour Salmon might interest you!

And, check out other fish and seafood recipes on the blog:

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Scallion Ginger Salmon with Soy Dressing

Pan-fried salmon with crispy skin seasoned with scallion & ginger infused oil and an umami-rich sauce. It only takes 15 minutes to cook. 

Author: Wei Guo

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1.3 lb salmon filet (skin on) - see notes 1 & 2
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 6 stalks scallions
• ▢ 5 sliced ginger
• ▢ 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine - see note 3
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sugar - or honey
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ▢ 4 tablespoon neutral cooking oil

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Instructions

Prepare

• Pat dry salmon filet thoroughly with kitchen paper. Sprinkle salt evenly over the flesh side.
• Cut scallions into sections then slice them lengthwise into thin strips. Cut ginger into sticks.
• Mix light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar (or honey), and white pepper in a small bowl.

Pan-fry

• Pour oil into a skillet (frying pan). Add scallions and ginger. Fry over medium heat until the scallions start to wilt.
• Push the scallions and ginger to the side of the skillet leaving most of the oil over the empty surface. Place the salmon, skin side down, over the hot oil. Press with a spatula to ensure the skin is in contact with the oil.
• Leave to cook for about 3 minutes (remain on medium heat) then flip over to cook the other side for a further 4 minutes. During the process, as soon as the scallions and ginger start to brown, pick them out to avoid burning.
• Finally, turn the heat to high, and flip over the salmon again to crisp the skin side for a minute. Once it browns nicely, turn off the heat. Transfer the salmon to a serving plate (skin side up). Pour the oil around it.
• Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet. Use its remaining heat to bubble up the sauce for 5 seconds or so. Pour it around the salmon (see note 4). Sprinkle the fried scallions and ginger over the fish and serve immediately.

NOTES

1. I used a large piece of salmon filet. Small pieces work fine too. Reduce the cooking time accordingly as they’ll take a little less time to cook.

2. You can use cod, halibut, hake, or pollock filets as substitutes for this recipe. Adjust the cooking time if necessary.

3. Shaoxing rice wine can be replaced by dry sherry or white wine for this recipe. Skip it if you wish to make the dish alcohol-free.

4. To keep the skin side crispy, do not pour the sauce over it. Allow the flesh side to absorb the sauce on the plate and dip the fish in the sauce while eating.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 318 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Protein: 31 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 81 mg | Sodium: 646 mg | Potassium: 796 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 238 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 33 mg | Iron: 2 mg

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