When You Stir-Fry Salmon, You Don't Have to Worry About Its Feelings

Don't get me wrong: I love gently cooked, slow-roasted salmon. It's easy. It's reliable. It was even trendy for a minute, and how many times can you say that about a fish?

But I also know that when it comes to salmon, I don't always have to be so delicate. As far as fish goes, salmon's a pretty hardy breed—it can stand up to a little abuse.

My colleague Anna Stockwell feels the same way. "I just get tired of acting like salmon is so precious," she told me recently. That's why for her newest recipe, Anna got a little rough and tumble: She gave the fish the stir-fry treatment, coating it with cornstarch and cooking it in a hot pan to develop some crispy edges.

Glossy, quick-cooked salmon coming up in 10.
Glossy, quick-cooked salmon coming up in 10.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews

There are a few key differences though. First, instead of slicing it into thin strips, Anna kept the salmon in pretty large pieces. Some may break apart during cooking, but that's okay—actually that's kind of the point. Any-sized piece of salmon will break apart when cooked this way, so the larger pieces ensure that the fish will ultimately finish up in reasonably-sized chunks that won't be overcooked.

Another difference: Instead of literally stir-frying the fish as you might with slivers of steak or chicken, Anna sears it on one side before flipping and searing the second side. Then it's back to business as usual: sauce goes in, thickens up, fish is flipped again to make sure every inch is covered, and boom—the stir-fry is ready.

But let's talk about that cornstarch coating for a minute. It won't develop a crust the way flour might, but it will give the fish a bit of an invisible shield with microscopic jagged edges—and those edges are important. When the vinegary soy, honey, and chili sauce is poured over the cooked fish, it reduces to a glaze; the cornstarch residue on the bottom of the pan helps the glaze thicken and turn glossy, while the crust that has formed on the fish helps it grab onto the glaze so that each individual piece of fish is sticky-sweet and deeply savory.

Glaze it 'til you make it.
Glaze it 'til you make it.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews

To finish the dish, Anna spills the glazed fish over steamed bok choy and fluffy white rice. Again: if the fish breaks apart while you're transferring it to a platter or individual plate, oh well. We all have to move on with our lives. And you can move on with yours knowing you've gotten fast and loose with salmon, and lived to tell how delicious it is.

Spicy Salmon Teriyaki with Steamed Bok Choy

Anna Stockwell

Originally Appeared on Epicurious