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Ingredients
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Whole fish & basic seasoning
Aromatics & garnish
Sauce (light soy-ginger dressing)
For steaming (if using steam method)
Method
Preparation
- 1
Clean and score
Rinse the whole kurodai under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Check that the fish is scaled and gutted; if not, remove scales and innards. Using a sharp knife, make 3–4 diagonal shallow cuts on each side of the fish (about 1 cm deep) to allow seasoning to penetrate and to promote even cooking.
- 2
Season
Sprinkle sea salt evenly over the outside and inside cavity of the fish, rubbing it gently into the slashes. Lightly season with freshly ground black pepper. Let the fish rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to absorb the salt while you prepare aromatics and sauce.
Sauce & aromatics
- 3
Combine the light soy sauce, mirin, sake, rice vinegar, sesame oil and caster sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance: more mirin or sugar for sweetness, more vinegar for brightness. Set aside.
- 4
Toss the ginger julienne and scallion batons together. If using shiitake, slice thinly and set aside.
Cooking the fish — pan-sear then steam (recommended)
- 5
- 6
Steam to finish
After searing, reduce heat to medium-low. Arrange the ginger, scallions and optional mushroom slices inside and over the fish. Pour about 60–80 ml of the prepared sauce around (not directly over the skin) and immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the fish to steam gently for 6–10 minutes depending on size (1 kg fish will need ~8 minutes) — steam is done when flesh near the backbone flakes easily and is opaque. Alternatively, transfer the seared fish to a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven in a covered roasting pan and bake 8–10 minutes.
- 7
Carefully transfer the fish to a serving platter using two spatulas. Spoon any pan juices and the aromatics over the fish.
Finishing & serving
- 8
Heat the remaining sauce briefly in a small saucepan until warm but not boiling (30–60 seconds) to marry flavors. Drizzle the warm sauce over the plated fish. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil if you want more aroma.
- 9
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, lemon or sudachi wedges and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice or light vegetable sides.
- 10
Leftovers: remove bones and flake cooked kurodai into salads, rice bowls or miso soup; store refrigerated up to 2 days.
