Saba no Misoni (Mackerel Simmered in Sweet Miso)

⏱ 30 min · Serves 2

Glossy fillets of mackerel simmered gently in sake, ginger and a rich red-brown miso sauce until the glaze clings like lacquer. It's the Japanese home-cooking classic that turns an inexpensive oily fish into something deeply savoury and warming — ready in half an hour, and best with a bowl of hot rice.

Per serving: 465 kcal · 34.0g protein · 18.0g carbs · 27.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 mackerel fillets (about 350g total), pin-boned, each cut into 2 pieces
• 1 tbsp salt (for the pre-soak rinse)
• 1 thumb fresh ginger, half thinly sliced, half finely julienned for garnish
• 100ml sake
• 100ml water
• 3 tbsp miso (awase or red miso)
• 1.5 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• Steamed short-grain rice, to serve

Method

1. Score the skin of each mackerel piece with a shallow cross. Place skin-side up in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, then pour over just-boiled water for 10 seconds and rinse immediately under cold water. Pat dry — this removes any strong fishiness.
2. In a wide pan or shallow saucepan, combine the sake, water and sliced ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let the alcohol cook off for 1 minute.
3. Lay the mackerel in the pan skin-side up in a single layer. Cover with a lid or cartouche of baking paper and simmer gently for 6 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the miso, sugar, mirin and soy sauce with 2 tablespoons of the hot cooking liquid until smooth and lump-free.
5. Spoon the miso mixture around the fish (not directly onto it) and swirl the pan gently to combine. Simmer uncovered for a further 6–8 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fillets every minute, until the liquid has reduced to a thick, glossy glaze.
6. Turn off the heat and let the fish sit for 2 minutes to settle. Lift carefully onto plates, spoon over plenty of sauce, and top with the julienned ginger and spring onions. Serve with hot rice.