Saba Shioyaki and Kinpira Gobo (鯖塩焼き、きんぴらごぼう)

• servings: 2 full, 4 sides

Ingredients

2 x 10 oz filets of mackerel

1 gobo, julienned (burdock root)

⅓ carrot, julienned

1 in daikon radish, grated and liquid squeezed out

3 tbsp sake

1½ tbsp soy sauce

1½ tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp sugar

1 dried red chili pepper, cut into thin rings (taka no tsume is traditional, but use anything)

Handful of toasted sesame seeds

Lemon wedge

Directions

Coat the mackerel with 2 tbsp of sake. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and transfer to an oven safe rack or baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Let the fish sit for another 20 minutes, then pat dry the excess moisture extracted from the salt. Bake the fish skin side down for 15-20 minutes or until the flesh is golden brown.

While the fish is in the oven, soak the gobo in water for 10 minutes. Rinse the gobo under cold water and strain.

Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the gobo, stir frying for 2-3 minutes or until almost tender. Add the carrot and continue to stir fry until they are both tender.

Add the sugar, soy sauce, mirin, and 1 tbsp of sake into the pan and stir until the strips are well coated. Add the dried chili and cook until the liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and the kinpira gobo is finished.

After the fish is finished cooking, plate them with small piles of grated daikon and lemon wedges on the side. Pour a few drops of soy sauce onto the daikon. Eat the fish with a little bit of the daikon for a balanced taste. Serve the kinpira gobo on the side, as well as optionally small bowls of miso soup and steamed rice.

Notes

This recipe includes a grilled fish, but the Kinpira Gobo portion is completely vegan!

Japanese grilled mackerel with a stir-fried carrot and burdock root side. This recipe highlights the simplicity that is central to Japanese cooking. The flavor of the fish is lightly accented by the sides, and the kinpira gobo is a refreshing textural contrast. This dish also features the holy sauce trinity of Japanese cooking: sake, mirin, and soy sauce. These are frequently combined in the cuisine.