Ingredients

Start to finish: 35 minutes (20 minutes active)
Servings: 4

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4-pound center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, stir the sesame seeds over medium heat until they are lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

In the same saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, cornstarch, five-spice powder and black pepper. Stir the glaze over medium heat until simmering and thickened, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the top-side of each salmon piece (not the skin side) with 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds. Set the salmon, seeded-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the salmon for 7 minutes. Turn the fillets over and top each one with about 2 tablespoons of the glaze. Continue baking for another 7 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque in the center.

Pull off and discard the skin from each fillet. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using.

Nutrition information per serving: 326 calories; 17 g fat (2 g saturated); 78 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 1 g fiber; 621 mg sodium.