Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce.

In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, dice sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Trim and finely dice cucumber. Halve blood orange; squeeze juice from half the blood orange into a small bowl. Peel remaining blood orange; dice segments into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Pat salmon* dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, slowly cut between flesh and skin a ½ inch at a time, being careful not to cut into flesh, until skin is fully removed from fish. Discard skin. Dice salmon into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl with half the ginger paste, a drizzle of oil, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside to marinate until Step 5.

Pat salmon* dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, slowly cut between flesh and skin ½ inch at a time, being careful not to cut into flesh, until skin is fully removed from fish. Discard skin.

Dice salmon into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add half the ginger paste, a drizzle of oil, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Set aside to marinate.

Toss sweet potato on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Once done, remove sheet from oven and carefully toss sweet potato with half the sesame seeds.

While sweet potato roasts, in a second medium bowl, combine vinegar, ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Add cucumber and toss to coat. Set aside until ready to serve.

To bowl with blood orange juice, add sweet soy glaze and remaining ginger paste; stir to combine.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon; cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. (For 4 servings, you may need to cook in batches.) TIP: Be very gentle when flipping your salmon. If it begins to flake or fall apart, don’t fret—it’ll still be delicious!

Stir in blood orange sauce and cook until salmon is coated, 30-60 seconds.

Drain cucumber and return to bowl. Add blood orange segments, scallion whites, salt, and pepper to bowl.

Fluff rice with a fork.

Divide rice between plates; top with salmon, cucumber-orange salad, and roasted sweet potato in separate sections. Drizzle with as much spicy mayo as you like. Garnish with remaining sesame seeds and scallion greens. Serve.