Japanese cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Sanma no Kabayaki

Boned Pacific saury fillets coated in starch, pan-fried and glazed in a sweet soy-mirin sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 8 Pacific saury fillets (or substitute mackerel)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 piece ginger (3 cm)
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 tsp sansho pepper (or substitute Sichuan pepper)

Instructions

1. Rinse the fillets in cold water, remove the pin bones with tweezers, pat very dry and, depending on size, halve once crosswise.
2. Mix soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar with the finely grated ginger and set aside.
3. Coat the fillets thinly and evenly in the cornstarch, tapping off excess — a thick layer would cloud the glaze later.
4. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan and fry the fillets skin side down for 3–4 min. until the skin is crisp, then flip and fry another 2 min.
5. Pour off excess fat, add the sauce and toss the fillets in it for 2–3 min. over medium heat until the glaze bubbles, turns dark and glossy and clings to the fish.
6. Serve over rice, spoon the remaining glaze on top and sprinkle with spring onion rings and sansho pepper.