When you want sushi but don't want to buy or make it, a sushi bowl is the next best thing. It's everything you love about sushi, but without having to roll it. This particular sushi bowl is made with smoked mackerel, homemade teriyaki sauce, carrot, edamame, sushi rice, and smoked nori snacks. You can follow the recipe as is or create your own ingredient combination based on your favourite sushi roll.
If you're new to cooking with fish, check out my guide to cooking fish for tips on selecting and handling seafood. Sushi bowls like this one are a great entry point because the fish is already smoked, so there's very little that can go wrong. For another take on bowl-style meals, try my Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa -- they share that same fresh, bright flavour profile.
Teriyaki Sauce
Teriyaki, as we know it, is not really teriyaki sauce. The stuff you buy at the grocery store is thickened with cornstarch and usually has garlic and ginger in it. Authentic teriyaki sauce is basically sweetened soy sauce. The sweet and salty flavour of teriyaki sauce is the perfect thing to put on the smoked mackerel in this sushi bowl. The sauce works just as well on smoked salmon, fresh salmon, scallops, chicken, or whatever else you can think of.
To make it, combine a ¼ cup of soy sauce with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of sake or water. Bring the mixture to a boil in a small pot and cook for 2 ½ minutes. Keep an eye on the pot as it may boil over. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
Recipe
Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tabelspoons sake or water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients and boil for 2 ½ minutes.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month.
Sushi Bowl Ingredients
The sushi bowl ingredients are sushi rice, seasoned rice vinegar (which you can buy at most grocery stores), edamame, carrots, scallion, smoked mackerel, wasabi, teriyaki sauce, and smoked nori snacks (you can find these in most grocery stores too).
Prepping the Sushi Bowl
To prepare the sushi bowl's ingredients, start by cooking the rice. Follow the rice package instructions for two servings, then mix the seasoned rice vinegar into the cooked rice. Put the edamame in a small pot, cover with water, boil for four minutes and drain.
Cut the Vegetables
While the rice and edamame are cooking, julienne (cut into matchsticks) a two-inch chunk of carrot, and thinly slice two scallions.
The Mackerel
Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add in a teaspoon of cooking oil. Sear the mackerel on both sides for a minute or two to heat it through. I used homemade smoked mackerel that I smoked this summer, but you can buy it in most grocery stores. If you don't want to use smoked mackerel, you can use smoked salmon instead (don't heat it). You can also roast a piece of salmon or any other type of fish you'd like to use.
Putting the Smoked Mackerel Sushi Bowl Together
To put the sushi bowl together, start by putting the rice down, then the edamame, the carrot, the fish, dress the fish with the teriyaki sauce, put a few dabs of wasabi around the bowl, garnish with the scallions, and put the nori sheets on the side.
Recipe
Smoked Mackerel Sushi Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked sushi rice
- 2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
- ½ cup shelled edameme
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- 2 fillets smoked mackerel
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup julienned carrots
- 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
- 2 slices scallions
Instructions
- Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Then stir in the seasoned rice vinegar.
- Put the edameme in a small pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. Drain the beans.
- Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and the mackerel to the pan. Cook for a minute or two per side or until the mackerel is browned and warm.
- Divide the cooked rice among two plates. Top the rice with the edamame, carrots, mackerel, teriyaki sauce, and scallions. Put a few dots of wasabi around the plate.
- For an authentic sushi taste serve the bowl with a side of smoked nori snacks.
Final Thoughts
This sushi bowl is one of my favourite weeknight meals because you can throw the whole thing together in the time it takes to cook the rice. Make it as written, or use it as a template for your own creations -- swap in salmon, add avocado, or pile on whatever toppings inspire you.
