Give Breakfast A Japanese-Style Protein Boost With This Ingredient

According to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, a protein-rich breakfast increased satiety throughout the morning. With many of us wanting to establish healthier eating habits, it makes sense to evaluate Japan, a culture that traditionally incorporates protein-heavy foods into breakfast. The standard American breakfast tends to lean carb-heavy; pancakes covered in syrup, toast with jam, oatmeal with brown sugar, often accompanied by a couple of eggs and some bacon. So, it might seem unusual to have an entire breakfast composed of savory foods. But this is common in Japan.

If you were to create an ultimate guide to Japanese breakfast, it would list rice as the centerpiece, fermented/pickled veggies, miso, and shiozake (salt-cured and grilled salmon) as the ideal. This type of breakfast is a true representation of the concept of balance in Japanese food culture. Many of the nutrients in a traditional Japanese-style breakfast are in good balance, with staples like shiozake worth paying particular attention to.

Shiozake is an easy and flavorful way to add a boost of protein to your regular breakfast meal. The recommended 3-ounce serving of salmon contains about 22 grams of protein (depending on variety), proving it's one of many foods that have more protein than an egg. In comparison, you would need to eat around four medium eggs just to get 22.16 grams of protein. For the study mentioned above from the NIH, the subjects who had a high-protein breakfast ate approximately 35 grams of protein in their meal. To reach that goal, you could incorporate a serving of shiozake, an egg, and two cups of white or brown rice for an amazing Japanese-style breakfast that will help energize you for the day.

Making shiozake is very simple. First, purchase some fresh salmon (skin on) and pour or sprinkle sake on all sides. Next, pat it dry with paper towels, sprinkle some salt on each side, and place your fillets on a paper towel-lined baking dish. Cover the dish with cling wrap, and put it in your refrigerator overnight, or up to 36 hours. Once the time is up, remove the salmon, pat it dry, and either grill it on both sides for 3 minutes per side or bake skin-side-up in the oven using the broiler for five to eight minutes. You can batch cook the salmon and freeze portions as well for easy breakfast meal prep. While there are many other facts worth learning about Japanese cuisine, understanding the benefits that salt-cured salmon can add to your morning routine and your health is a great start.