I bought the prepared alfonsino (kinmedai) from a reputable supermarket, so it was okay to wash it quickly, remove the scales and just clean inside of the fish. Basically it is same as cleaning a rudder fish (mejina). To buy a good fish, look for ones with firm flesh and golden scales!

Remove the black part and also guts, which are smelly, from inside.

Now it's clean.

This time, half the fish is for simmering and the the other half is for mixing with rice to make 'kinme-gohan'. So I prioritized simmering and prepared it like the one in the photo.

Remove the fish bones from the one for kinme rice.

Don't cut the belly flesh or the back flesh this time, like the one in mejina preparation. Use a fish bone extractor to remove small fish bones. Make crisscross cuts on the fish or else it won't simmer well because skin shrinks.

Don't turn over the fish while simmering because the flesh is soft, so put it in the pot with the serving side facing up.

Add all ★ ingredients to a pot big enough to accommodate the whole fish.

Be sure to add the fish after bringing the liquid to a boil. Bring it to a boil.

Add the fish! I forgot to mention this before but make crisscross cuts on the fish or else it won't simmer well because skin shrinks.

Cover it with a lid (I accidently wrote "Reed" in the originial recipe see Step 15 addendum), for this use a sheet of parchment paper...as a lid. The purpose of using a drop lid is to circulate the broth. Even if you don't turn over the fish, broth circulates over it. Be careful! Using a heavy drop lid damages the flesh.

Transfer it to a plate gently with a spatula, be careful not to break it!

The simmered fish, basted in a rich and plentiful sauce, is ready.