Teriyaki Salmon with Brown Rice

In a small saucepan, combine water, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, brown sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour the sauce into a measuring cup or bowl and let it cool to room temperature. This allows it to thicken further.

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place the salmon fillets, skin-side down, in a shallow dish or a resealable bag.

Pour about half of the cooled teriyaki sauce over the salmon fillets, ensuring they are well coated. Reserve the remaining sauce for later.

Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours, to allow the salmon to marinate. Turn the fillets halfway through to ensure even marination.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. You want the pan to be hot enough to sear the salmon.

Remove salmon from marinade, letting excess drip off. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Sear for about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

Flip the salmon fillets. Spoon some of the reserved teriyaki sauce over the top of the salmon. Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Baste with more sauce as needed.

Serve the teriyaki salmon over a bed of cooked brown rice.

Drizzle any remaining teriyaki sauce over the salmon and rice. Garnish with chopped scallions and fresh mint leaves.