Shinjuku Sunday Supper

1. FINAL MENU

• Name of the meal: Shinjuku Sunday Supper
• Cuisine type: Japanese
• Serve time: 5:00 PM

This home-style Japanese menu is worth sitting down for because it layers clean, familiar flavors—caramelized soy-mirin teriyaki on pan-seared salmon, warm umami from a gentle miso soup, and bright counterpoints from sesame spinach and a vinegared cucumber-wakame salad—assembled so the centerpiece finishes at the table’s exact serve time for maximum texture and aroma.

• Teriyaki Salmon
• Steamed Japanese short-grain rice
• Miso Soup with silken tofu & wakame
• Spinach Goma-ae (sesame-dressed spinach)
• Cucumber & Wakame Sunomono
• Yuzu Sparkling Spritz (kid-friendly drink)
• Junmai sake, chilled (adult beverage)

2. FULLY EXECUTABLE RECIPES

Teriyaki Salmon

Equipment

• 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick or stainless skillet with lid
• Small saucepan (1–1.5 qt / 1–1.5 L)
• Microplane or fine grater
• Chef’s knife
• Digital scale or measuring cups and spoons
• Tongs or fish spatula
• Plate lined with paper towel

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets, skin-on: 5 × 6 oz (170 g) each — total 30 oz (850 g)
• Kosher salt: 1.25 tsp (7.5 g)
• Ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp (1.5 g)
• Neutral oil (vegetable or canola): 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Soy sauce: 1/2 cup (120 ml) ⁺
• Mirin: 1/4 cup (60 ml) ⁺
• Sake (for cooking — will use from the purchased bottle): 1/4 cup (60 ml)
• Granulated sugar: 3 tbsp (45 g) ⁺
• Fresh ginger, grated: 1 tsp (5 g)

Practical substitutions:

• If salmon fillets are unavailable, use skin-on steelhead or coho trout, same weight per portion.
• If fresh ginger is unavailable, use 1/4 tsp ground ginger (lower freshness/flavor).

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 12 minutes active (plus 10–15 minutes passive marinate while preparing other items)
• No internal temperature required; cook until salmon flakes easily and glaze is glossy. For reference, salmon is safely cooked at 145°F (63°C), but many prefer to remove from heat at 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium; this recipe aims for a cooked-through but moist finish in home pan-searing.

Instructions

1. Season salmon: Pat fillets dry; sprinkle evenly with 1.25 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let sit skin-side down on a plate for 8–12 minutes while you prepare other components (marinate time not required but allowed).
2. Make teriyaki sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 1/4 cup sake, 3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp grated ginger. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then reduce heat to low and simmer without boiling for 2 minutes to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and reserve 3–4 tbsp of sauce in a small bowl for glazing at the end; keep remaining sauce for finishing and potential table use.
3. Preheat skillet: 2 minutes before cooking, place skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp neutral oil; heat until shimmering.
4. Sear salmon (skin-side first): Add fillets skin-side down, spacing pieces so they don't touch. Press gently with spatula for 10 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side for 4–5 minutes without moving, until skin is browned and releases naturally.
5. Flip and finish: Flip fillets and lower heat to medium. Cook flesh-side 3 minutes. Spoon 2–3 tbsp hot teriyaki sauce over each fillet and continue cooking 1–2 minutes, spooning glaze continuously so it reduces and becomes glossy. Total pan time ~9–10 minutes.
6. Rest briefly: Transfer to a warm plate and spoon the reserved glaze on top. Serve immediately. Timing: plan final glaze so the last spooning ends at 5:00 PM.

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Steamed Japanese Short-Grain Rice

Equipment

• 6-cup (1.4 L) rice cooker or a medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid
• Fine-mesh sieve
• Rice paddle or wooden spoon
• Measuring cup (US cups) and liquid measuring cup

Ingredients

• Japanese short-grain rice: 2.5 cups (450 g)
• Filtered water (for cooking): 2.75 cups (660 ml) ⁺
• Kosher salt (optional for rinsing water): none required for this recipe

Practical substitutions:

• If short-grain rice is unavailable, use medium-grain rice; note texture difference.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 45–50 minutes (hands-on <10 minutes)
• If using a rice cooker, it will switch to Keep Warm automatically. Rice is a "holds well" item.

Instructions

1. Rinse rice: Place 2.5 cups rice in sieve or bowl, rinse under cold running water, stirring with hand, until water runs mostly clear (3–4 rinses). Drain 1 minute.
2. Measure water: Transfer rinsed rice to rice cooker pot or saucepan and add 2.75 cups (660 ml) filtered water.
3. Cook: If using rice cooker, start the cooker (approx 45 min). If using stove: bring to a boil over medium-high, reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly and simmer 12–14 minutes, then remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes.
4. Finish: At completion, fluff rice with rice paddle and keep covered in cooker until serving. Rice will be ready roughly by 3:55–4:00 PM if started at 3:10 PM.

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Miso Soup with Silken Tofu & Wakame

Equipment

• Medium saucepan (2 qt / 2 L)
• Small bowl and ladle
• Knife and cutting board

Ingredients

• Filtered water / dashi base: 7 cups (1.65 L) ⁺
• Instant dashi granules: 3 tsp (10 g)
• Silken tofu: 14 oz (400 g) block, drained and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
• Dried wakame: 2 tbsp (6 g) ⁺
• White miso paste (shiro miso): 5 tbsp (90 g)
• Scallions: 2 stalks, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Practical substitutions:

• If instant dashi is unavailable, use 1 piece kombu (4 × 4 inch) + 1/2 cup bonito flakes simmered quickly, then strained (adds 10–15 min).

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 10 minutes active (finish within ~10–15 minutes of serve)
• Miso must not be boiled. Add miso off heat.

Instructions

1. Rehydrate wakame: Place 2 tbsp dried wakame in 1/2 cup warm water for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. Heat dashi: In a medium saucepan, bring 7 cups filtered water to a simmer; stir in 3 tsp instant dashi until dissolved.
3. Add tofu and wakame: Gently add cubed tofu and the rehydrated wakame; warm 2–3 minutes gently—do not boil.
4. Dissolve miso: Put 5 tbsp miso in a small bowl, ladle 1/2 cup hot dashi into bowl, whisk until smooth, then turn off heat and stir the dissolved miso back into pot. Keep warm and serve shortly. Finish this step at ~4:50–4:55 PM so the soup sits no more than 10 minutes before serving.

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Spinach Goma-ae (Sesame-Dressed Spinach)

Equipment

• Large pot for blanching
• Bowl of ice water
• Small skillet or mortar and pestle for grinding sesame
• Strainer
• Mixing bowl

Ingredients

• Fresh spinach: 1 lb (450 g)
• Toasted sesame seeds: 1/3 cup (55 g)
• Soy sauce: 3 tbsp (45 ml) ⁺
• Granulated sugar: 1 tbsp (12.5 g) ⁺
• Mirin: 1 tbsp (15 ml) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• If fresh spinach is not available, use 8 oz frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry — reduce blanching time.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 15–20 minutes (hands-on 10 minutes)
• Holds well at room temperature or chilled.

Instructions

1. Toast and grind sesame: If sesame not toasted, toast 1/3 cup seeds in a small dry skillet over medium 2–3 minutes until aromatic. Grind seeds in mortar or pulse briefly in a small food processor to a coarse paste.
2. Blanch spinach: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil; add spinach and blanch 30–45 seconds until bright green and wilted. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking; drain well and squeeze out excess water in handfuls. Cut into 1–2 inch lengths if leaves large.
3. Make dressing: In a bowl, combine ground sesame, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin; stir to a paste.
4. Toss: Combine spinach and dressing; toss until evenly coated. Chill or hold at room temperature. Finish and plate by 4:15–4:30 PM.

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Cucumber & Wakame Sunomono

Equipment

• Small mixing bowl
• Knife and mandoline or sharp slicer
• Strainer

Ingredients

• English cucumbers: 3 medium (about 600 g)
• Dried wakame: 1 tbsp (3 g) ⁺
• Rice vinegar: 4 tbsp (60 ml)
• Granulated sugar: 2 tbsp (25 g) ⁺
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp (5 g) ⁺
• Soy sauce: 1 tsp (5 ml) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• If English cucumbers are unavailable, use 2–3 Persian cucumbers or 2 slicing cucumbers.

Cooking / Baking

• Total cook time: 10 minutes (plus 15 minutes chill)
• This is a cold salad; dress no earlier than 20 minutes before serving for best crunch.

Instructions

1. Prepare wakame: Soak 1 tbsp wakame in 1/4 cup warm water for 5 minutes, drain and squeeze.
2. Slice cucumbers thinly (mandoline or knife). Salt cucumber and let sit 5–7 minutes, then squeeze out excess water.
3. Make dressing: Whisk 4 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp soy sauce until sugar dissolves.
4. Toss cucumbers and wakame with dressing. Chill 15 minutes. Plan to toss or briefly re-toss and plate at 4:55 PM.

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Yuzu Sparkling Spritz (Kid-friendly drink) — makes 5 servings (200 ml each)

Equipment

• Pitcher
• Measuring cups
• Spoon
• Glassware and ice

Ingredients

• Bottled yuzu juice (or bottled yuzu concentrate): 1 cup (240 ml)
• Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g) ⁺
• Filtered water (for simple syrup): 1/2 cup (120 ml) ⁺
• Sparkling water, chilled: 1 L (1000 ml) (see Drinks shopping section)
• Ice: as needed

Practical substitutions:

• If yuzu juice is unavailable, substitute 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice + 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (use same total juice volume).

Cooking / Baking

• Total prep time: 10 minutes plus chilling

Instructions

1. Make simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water; bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature.
2. Assemble: In a pitcher, mix 1 cup yuzu juice with cooled simple syrup. Add 1 L chilled sparkling water and gently stir.
3. Serve over ice in glasses 200 ml per serving. Chill syrup before service if possible.

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Junmai Sake — adult beverage (purchase)

Equipment

• Sake glasses or small wine glasses; carafe (optional)

Ingredients

• Junmai sake: 1 bottle (720 ml), chilled (adult beverage)

Notes

• This is a purchased beverage; use 1/4 cup (60 ml) from the bottle in the teriyaki sauce, the remainder is for table service. No cooking steps for the purchased bottle.

3. LINEAR TIMELINE (3:10 PM–5:00 PM)

• 3:10 PM: (Rice) Rinse 2.5 cups short-grain rice and start rice cooker with 2.75 cups water; set cooker to cook. (Rice cooker runs ~45 min; hands-off.)
• 3:20 PM: (Spinach Goma-ae) Toast and grind 1/3 cup sesame seeds; blanch 1 lb spinach (30–45 sec), shock in ice water, squeeze dry and set aside; mix sesame dressing (3 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin) and toss with spinach; cover and refrigerate.
• 3:40 PM: (Sunomono prep) Soak 1 tbsp wakame for sunomono; thinly slice 3 cucumbers, salt briefly and squeeze out water; refrigerate cucumbers and wakame separately; make dressing but hold until final toss.
• 3:55 PM: (Rice) Rice cooker finishes; fluff rice with paddle and keep covered on Warm setting in cooker. Check remaining mise (soy, sugar, mirin measured).
• 4:05 PM: (Teriyaki Salmon prep) Pat salmon dry, season with salt and pepper; grate 1 tsp ginger and make teriyaki sauce in small saucepan (soy, mirin, sake, sugar) — bring to a bare simmer 1–2 minutes, remove from heat and reserve.
• 4:15 PM: (Goma-ae finish/check) Taste spinach goma-ae, adjust if necessary; transfer to serving dish and hold covered at room temperature or chilled.
• 4:25 PM: (Miso prep) Rehydrate 2 tbsp wakame for miso in warm water, cube silken tofu; measure miso paste and dashi granules; set pot ready to heat later.
• 4:35 PM: (Table & garnish prep) Slice scallions for miso garnish; set plates and serving bowls; chill sake bottle if not already chilled; chill kid spritz components.
• 4:40 PM: (Final mise) Bring reserved teriyaki sauce back to a very low simmer if cooled; preheat skillet for salmon over medium-high for 2 minutes (add oil when hot); start assembling glasses/ice for drinks.
• 4:48 PM: (Miso final warm-step) Bring 7 cups water to simmer in saucepan, stir in 3 tsp instant dashi until dissolved, add cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame, simmer very gently 2–3 minutes; turn off heat and keep covered — do not add miso yet. (Cooker on low; this warms while you start salmon.)
• 4:50 PM: (Teriyaki Salmon start) Place salmon skin-side down in hot skillet; press 10 seconds; cook skin-side 4–5 minutes undisturbed. While salmon cooks, ladle 1–2 ladles of hot dashi into small bowl to dissolve miso.
• 4:55 PM: (Sunomono final) Toss cucumbers and wakame with rice vinegar + sugar + 1 tsp soy; chill briefly and plate. Add dissolved miso back to miso pot off heat; keep covered and warm (finish-to-serve within ~10 minutes).
• 4:56 PM: (Teriyaki Salmon flip) Flip salmon to flesh-side; cook 3 minutes. Warm glaze in saucepan over low while finishing.
• 4:59 PM: (Teriyaki Salmon glaze & final) Spoon hot teriyaki glaze over salmon repeatedly, reducing glaze to a glossy finish; perform final spooning so last spoon finishes at 5:00 PM.
• 5:00 PM: (Serve) Plate salmon (one fillet per person) with rice, place miso soup bowls (ladle soup and garnish with scallions), place spinach goma-ae and sunomono on table, pour yuzu spritz into kid glasses and pour chilled Junmai sake for adults. Serve exactly at 5:00 PM.

4. CONSOLIDATED SHOPPING LIST

Produce

• Fresh spinach: 1 lb (450 g)
• English cucumbers: 3 medium (about 600 g)
• Scallions (green onions): 2 stalks
• Fresh ginger: 1 small knob (about 15–20 g)
• (Substitution produce option: lemons + oranges if bottled yuzu not available) — 1 lemon + 1 orange

Meat / Seafood

• Salmon fillets, skin-on: 5 × 6 oz (170 g) each — total 30 oz (850 g)

Dry Goods / Pantry

• Japanese short-grain rice: 2.5 cups (450 g)
• Filtered water for cooking: 2.43 L (2430 ml) ⁺
• Soy sauce: 170 ml (approx 2/3 cup) ⁺
• Mirin: 75 ml (5 tbsp) ⁺
• Granulated sugar: 183 g (approx 7/8 cup) ⁺
• Kosher salt: 3 tsp (approx 15 g) ⁺
• Ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp (1.5 g)
• Neutral cooking oil (vegetable/canola): 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Instant dashi granules: 3 tsp (10 g)
• White miso paste (shiro miso): 5 tbsp (90 g)
• Dried wakame: 3 tbsp (approx 9 g) ⁺
• Silken tofu: 14 oz (400 g)
• Toasted sesame seeds: 1/3 cup (55 g)
• Rice vinegar: 4 tbsp (60 ml)
• Short list sake for cooking: use 1/4 cup (60 ml) from purchased bottle (no extra purchase needed beyond Drinks section)

Drinks

• Sparkling water, chilled: 1 L (1000 ml)
• Bottled yuzu juice (or yuzu concentrate): 1 cup (240 ml) (if unavailable, buy 1 lemon + 1 orange)
• Junmai sake (for table and 60 ml for cooking): 1 bottle (720 ml)

Notes on markings: items used in multiple components are marked with ⁺.

5. NOTES & ASSUMPTIONS

• Optional table-side items: Shichimi togarashi and extra teriyaki sauce may be offered table-side; do not add heat to shared base (household spice level: mild); adults may add shichimi to their own portions.
• Global substitutions: If bottled yuzu is unavailable, use 1/2 cup lemon juice + 1/2 cup orange juice (fresh) for the kid spritz. If short-grain rice is unavailable, medium-grain will work but texture differs.
• Child-safety note: Keep hot liquids and the skillet out of reach of children during the 4:48–5:00 PM searing/glazing window; supervise kids away from stove.
• Timeline risk(s): The tightest execution window is 4:48–5:00 PM when the cook sears and glazes the salmon while finishing miso and final plating. This 12-minute window requires simultaneous attention to pan and quick finishing of soup and plating.
• Mitigation mindset: Prepare all mise (measuring, slicing, plates, garnishes, sauce already made and kept warm) before 4:40 PM so the 4:48–5:00 PM window only requires focused cooking and minimal movement. Use the rice cooker's Keep Warm feature and arrange bowls and serving utensils within arm’s reach before starting the salmon sear.
• Latest safe start time: You can start as late as 3:10 PM for a 5:00 PM serve.