Low-sodium Japanese and Mediterranean plates with a plain-cooked kids menu alongside

Getting a seed crust to stay on salmon is mostly about the surface. The fillets are patted dry, given a thin film of oil, and pressed into the everything bagel mix while raw, then baked at 400°F without turning, so the crust sets before the fat starts rendering out from underneath. The saffron turmeric chicken thighs work the other way entirely, sitting in their own yellow sauce the whole time and coming out closer to poached than roasted. One dish is built to stay dry and one is built to stay wet.

There are two versions of this dinner in the fridge. The adults get the teriyaki chicken thighs and the everything bagel crusted salmon; the children get the same salmon, the same barramundi and the same chicken thighs baked plain, with nothing on them but the fish and the heat. Alongside that go steamed peas, baked green beans and potato wedges. Cooking the plain portions first, before any seasoning goes near the pans, is the only sensible order.

The everything bagel crusted salmon wants 8 minutes at 375°F uncovered so the seeds stay crisp, and the avocado lime dressing goes on cold. The barramundi needs less than that, 6 minutes at 350°F covered, since it is a lean fish and dries out fast. Teriyaki chicken thighs take 12 minutes at 350°F covered, and the scallions black rice reheats best with a spoonful of water stirred through it first.