Kaede Recipe

Rinse and Soak Rice

Place the short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, rubbing gently, until the water runs clear (about 6–8 rinses). Drain and transfer to a rice cooker bowl. Add 240 ml water, cover, and let soak 30 minutes if time allows.

Cook Rice

Cook the rice according to your rice cooker instructions (or on the stovetop: bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 12–14 minutes, then rest 10 minutes off the heat).

Season Rice

While the rice cooks, warm rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves. Transfer the cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl, evenly pour the seasoning over the rice, and fold gently with a wooden paddle or spatula to coat and cool. Fan while folding to give glossy grains. Keep covered with a damp cloth until serving.

Prepare Dashi

Warm the dashi in a pot over medium heat until it simmers gently. If using instant dashi, reconstitute to 600 ml per package instructions.

Add Tofu and Wakame

Cut silken tofu into 1–2 cm cubes and add to the warm dashi along with rehydrated wakame. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes — do not boil vigorously once tofu is added to avoid breaking it up.

Finish with Miso

Lower heat. Put white miso in a small bowl, ladle 2–3 tablespoons hot dashi into the bowl and whisk until miso is smooth. Return miso mixture to the pot, stir gently to combine and heat through without boiling. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with thinly sliced scallion.

Blanch Snap Peas

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Trim snap peas if needed. Blanch snap peas 30–45 seconds until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.

Dress and Finish

Toss the cooled snap peas with light soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon zest. Plate in a small bowl as a seasonal kobachi (small dish).

Marinate Fish

In a shallow dish, mix sake, light soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Pat fish fillets dry and place skin-side up in marinade for 15–30 minutes in the refrigerator (do not marinate too long for delicate fish).

Preheat Grill or Broiler

Preheat a grill or broiler to high heat. Oil the grill or lightly brush the fish with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Grill Fish

Remove fish from marinade and shake off excess. Grill skin-side down first 3–5 minutes (depending on thickness) until skin is crisp and golden and edges begin to flake. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until just cooked through. If using broiler, place on a lined tray 8–10 cm from heat and broil until caramelized and cooked through.

Rest and Serve

Let fish rest 2 minutes. Serve each fillet with a lemon wedge and a small smear of yuzu kosho on the side (optional).

Prepare Pickles

If using quick pickled cucumber, slice thinly and toss with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp rice vinegar, and 1 tsp sugar. Let sit 10 minutes, then drain. If using takuan, slice into thin strips.

Plate & Garnish

Arrange a composed omakase-style plate: a small mound of seasoned rice, a portion of grilled fish, a kobachi of snap peas, a cup of miso soup on the side, pickles, and microgreens placed delicately. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds on the vegetable and a few microgreens atop the fish for contrast.