NIC Quick Recipe #11 - Simmered Mackerel - saba no nitsuke -（さばの煮付け）

 
Yes, this is the yummy-looking, simmered fish you see in the deli section of the supermarket! The combination of oily mackerel and the sweet, shoyu-based sauce is just perfect and goes great with steamed white rice. This great flavor can be easily obtained in your kitchen. So this time, instead of heading to the deli section, go to the fish section and pick up a pack of glittering, fresh mackerel fillets!

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• 4 fillets of mackerel (saba 鯖 / サバ)
• 1 small clove (30g) of ginger, thinly-sliced (shouga 生姜)
• A pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce (shoyu 醤油)
• 2 tablespoons of cooking sake

How to Make
1. Clean the mackerel and make a crisscross cut on the skin part of each fillet.

2. Put the sugar, soy sauce, cooking sake, and the ginger in a pot. Add one cup of water and place the fish fillets with the skin part on top. Put on a drop-lid and simmer with medium heat. Instead of a drop-lid, you can use a sheet of tin foil with the corners tucked down and a hole in the center.

3. Spoon the liquid over the fish every now and then. When the sauce has thickened into half of its original volume, it’s ready to serve!