The balanced flavor in this Asian flavored dish with Chinese 5 spice (a combination of star anise), cloves, cinnamon, huajiao (Sichuan pepper) and ground fennel seeds) is wonderful. This is a surprising dish that is both light, yet very flavorful. It is full of nutrition, and very easy to prepare.
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb salmon filet cut into 4 pieces
6 dried medium shiitake mushrooms soaked in 3/4 cup hot water for about 15 minutes (save water)
Soak shiitake mushrooms in 3/4 cup hot water. Slice when soft cutting out stem. Preheat broiler on high.
Healthy Sauté onion in medium saucepan over medium low heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add vegetable stock, 5 spice powder, orange juice, and molasses. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and discard all but liquid. Place liquid back into pan, and thicken with arrowroot dissolved in a little water while simmering.
While sauce is cooking, simmer in another medium sized sauté pan cabbage, mushrooms, scallion, salt and pepper in mushroom water for 5 minutes.
Rub salmon with salt and pepper. (You can Quick Broil with the skin on; it just takes a minute or two longer. The skin will peel right off after cooking.)
When pan is hot, use a hot pad to pull out the pan from the heat and place salmon on it, skin side down. Return to broiler. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (usually about 7 minutes for every inch of thickness.
Drizzle salmon with generous amount of sauce and serve with your favorite vegetable.