For poaching:

For the sauce:

For garnish:

Prep the ingredients: Cut and peel a 2- to 3-inch chunk of fresh ginger. Rough-cut the small nodules and julienne the main parts. Reserve the rough-cut portion for poaching and divide the julienned pieces into 2 sections, one for the sauce and the other for garnish. Cut in half the green onions. Julienne the green leafy portion for garnish. Chop the white part for the sauce. Mince the garlic.

Cook the salmon and sake: In a pan, combine the water, sake and rough-cut ginger. The water should sit about 1 inch high. Adjust by using a 2 cups- to-1/4 cup water-to -sake ratio. Cover and bring to a low simmer. Add the salmon fillets. Poach at slow simmer for about 10 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the pieces to a serving dish. Garnish with ginger and green onions.

While salmon is cooking, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly until fragrant, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the soy sauce, sugar and freshly ground black pepper. While still bubbling, pour over the salmon.

Serves 2.