by Jules Fickenscher

Anyone who frequents TikTok has seen food influencer Emily Mariko appear on their for you page using strips of seaweed and chopsticks to grab a mixture of salmon, rice, a combination of sauces and a single ice cube. 

As Mariko’s recipe continues to circulate, here’s a review of how to make the dish, and what it really tastes like:

The Process

The bulk of the recipe involves just three main components: salmon, rice and sauce. You can prepare the rice and the salmon however you please, but we decided to use microwavable sticky rice and basic air-fried salmon. Though you could make this dish right after the salmon is cooked, Mariko often makes it using leftovers.

After preparing the salmon and rice, we topped them with a single ice cube and a crumpled piece of parchment paper, and heated it in the microwave. Once the dish was warm, we added a dousing of soy sauce, and drizzled on some sriracha and mayo. Mariko serves it with sliced avocado and scoops each bite between a piece of seaweed.

@bakedmagazine

@Emily Mariko makes our job easy. Check out our website for our new article all about her ✨iconic✨ dish #fyp #food #salmonbowl #syracuseuniversity

♬ original sound – Emily Mariko

The Taste

This dish hits every flavor profile you could ever desire: the spicy mayo with the extra “umami” kick from the soy sauce goes perfectly with the salmon. The salmon bowl also packs in a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and omega 3’s, ensuring you’ll feel satisfied and energized after indulging.

Variations

We’ve also concocted a few variations of this dish to try when you want to switch things up:

Vegan:

Replace the salmon with extra firm tofu marinated in soy sauce and sriracha and swap out the classic mayo with a vegan version. The end result will be just as satisfying and enjoyable.

Crispy:

Instead of microwaving the rice, heat a pan with an even layer of oil, and leave the rice in long enough so it’s crispy. Give it a flip, then serve with the mashed salmon and sauce combined on top. It’ll taste similar, but the rice adds an extra crunch.

Peanut Sauce:

You can also replace the spicy mayo with Thai-inspired peanut sauce. Combine a scoop of creamy peanut butter, a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of sesame oil, red chili flakes, lime juice, and a small dash of water until thoroughly combined.