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Shime Saba (Mackerel in Vinegar Dressing)

Shime Saba (Mackerel in Vinegar Dressing) is a traditional Japanese recipe for a classic starter of salted mackerel fillets marinaded in a rice wine vinegar mixture that are served garnished with namasu and parsley and served with a dipping sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Japanese version of: Mackerel in Vinegar Dressing (Shime Saba).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

15 minutes

Total Time:

35 minutes

Serves:

4–6

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Japan Recipes


Ingredients:

675g mackerel, cleaned, scaled and filleted (but with the skin left on)
2 tbsp salt
6 tbsp rice vinegar
180ml cold water
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

For the Garnish:
120ml namasu
4 sprigs parsley
1 tsp finely-grated ginger

Method:

A day ahead, sprinkle the fish on both sides with the salt then place the fillets in a deep non-reactive (glass, enamelled or stainless steel) baking dish that's large enough to hold them in a single layer. Cover with clingfilm then refrigerate over night. The following day use tweezers to remove any pin bones still in the fish.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, water and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then return the fish to the bow land pour the marinade over the top. Allow to marinade at room temperature for 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the marinade, place on a chopping board and slice diagonally into 12mm wide pieces.

Divide the fish into four portions and lay these side by side on individual plates. Garnish each portion with 2 tbsp of the namasu, a sprig of parsley and a little of the ginger. Accompany with a dipping sauce, such as zambai-zu.