Omikuji Mackerel soused in Nanban

Name: Omikuji Mackerel soused in Nanban
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1/2 rhubarb stalk; 1 small carrot; 1 tbsps chopped ginger; 1 small beetroot; 2 large salad onions; 2 mackerel fillets; 1 tsp Shichimi togarashi; 1 tsp green nori sprinkle (optional); Marinade; Itsu Miso 'easy' made up to 100mls or dashi; 1 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp palm or brown sugar; 60 ml black rice wine vinegar; 2 tbsps yuzu or lime juice; 3 tbsps Japanese shoju or dark soy sauce; Schichimi Togarashi; 2 tbsps chilli flakes; 2 tsps dried orange peel; 1 tsp toasted Sancho peppercorns or Sichuan peppercorns; 1 tsp dried seaweed; 1 tsp white/black sesame seeds; 1 tsp poppy seeds; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; To serve:; 1 tsp Schichimi Togarashi; 1 tsp green nori sprinkles; toasted bread or udon noodles

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Omikuji (random lot) are random fortunes written on strips of paper in Buddhist temples in Japan that are received by making a small offering and randomly choosing a box, hoping for the resulting fortune to be good. I relate this to visiting my friend’s place where potent cocktails are served and takeaway produce from his garden is provided in return for dinner.

Today I have brought home a whole pile of rhubarb, carrots and purple spring onions which I have added to some ginger and beetroot to make a Nanban-style marinade to souse beautiful fresh mackerel. Nanban means foreign and Nanbanzuke is fried fish in citrus/soy sauce vinaigrette originating from Portugal/Spain and brought to Japan in the 17th century. It is similar to escabeche.

I have chosen mackerel as is one of the healthiest oily fish and one of the best sources of omega-3s - good fats that keep one’s heart and brain healthy. The marinade is elevated by the addition of miso and yuzu.

To finish the dish I have added a Japanese spice blend, Shichimi Togarashi which is made up of seven different spices. It was invented as a medicine and only after it became popular for its therapeutic benefits was it sold primarily as a seasoning. First made in the Yagenbori herb shop in Tokyo in 1625, around the time that chilli peppers from the Americas were introduced to Japan via the trade route after Christopher Columbus had found them in the New World.

Serve with toasted bread or uddon noodles.

#GoldenApron23

Serve with toasted bread or uddon noodles.

#GoldenApron23

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Serve with toasted bread or uddon noodles.

#GoldenApron23

Serve with toasted bread or uddon noodles.

Saved

Ingredients

None

2 people

1/2rhubarb stalk
1small carrot
1 tbspschopped ginger
1small beetroot
2large salad onions
2mackerel fillets
1 tspShichimi togarashi
1 tspgreen nori sprinkle (optional)
Marinade
Itsu Miso 'easy' made up to 100mls or dashi
1 tbspmirin
1 tbsppalm or brown sugar
60 mlblack rice wine vinegar
2 tbspsyuzu or lime juice
3 tbspsJapanese shoju or dark soy sauce
Schichimi Togarashi
2 tbspschilli flakes
2tsps dried orange peel
1 tsptoasted Sancho peppercorns or Sichuan peppercorns
1 tspdried seaweed
1 tspwhite/black sesame seeds
1 tsppoppy seeds
1/2 tspground ginger
To serve:
1 tspSchichimi Togarashi
1 tspgreen nori sprinkles
toasted bread or udon noodles

Saved

Steps

None

1

Schichimi Togarashi: Blitz all the ingredients in a spice grinder and store in an airtight container.
2

Marinade: Place all the marinade ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the rhubarb, carrot, ginger, beetroot and spring onions and pour into a shallow dish.
3

Mackerel: Score the fillets (to prevent shrivelling up) and place in a heatproof dish. Torch the fillets skin side only.
4

Pour the marinade into a shallow dish and place the fish, flesh side down in the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
5

Serve with a sprinkling of togarashi and green nori and either a side of toasted rye or place uddon noodles in the sauce and warm through.
6