Saba Shioyaki

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the mackerel fillets very dry with kitchen paper; this helps the skin blister and brown instead of steaming. Lightly score the skin once or twice if the fillets are thick, then rub both sides with the fine sea salt and the grated fresh ginger.

2. 2

   Preheat a grill, grill pan, or broiler to high. While it heats, peel the daikon radish and grate it finely. Cut the lemon into wedges.

3. 3

   Place the mackerel skin-side up under the grill or on the hot grill pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is browned and lightly blistered, then turn and cook 3-4 minutes more until the flesh is just cooked through and flakes easily. If using especially fatty saba, let excess fat render off rather than moving the fish too much.

4. 4

   Let the fish rest for 1 minute so the juices settle. Lightly squeeze any excess water from the grated daikon so it stays fluffy rather than watery.

5. 5

   Serve each fillet immediately with a mound of grated daikon, lemon wedges, and soy sauce on the side. A little lemon and a dab of daikon on each bite balances the rich fish.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Traditionally, shioyaki uses only salt, but a small amount of ginger works well here to soften the fishiness while keeping the dish beginner-friendly.
• •Do not oversalt: mackerel is naturally flavorful, and soy sauce is served on the side.
• •If your fillets are very thin, reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes total to avoid drying them out.
• •Steamed rice and miso soup make this a classic simple meal.

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