And there have been many (perhaps too many) nights where I’m craving a delicious, yet healthy fish dish but I don’t have the energy to marinate overnight or be fancy about things. In the case of a celebration, fold the lower left to the upper right with the backside facing up.Have you ever been in a rush to put together a delicious meal? Well, I certainly have. Please note that the folding direction is the opposite for celebration and condolence. If you have a tempura paper or origami, that works too! Traditionally, the paper is folded in certain ways. A paper or Shikigami (敷き紙): On a celebration, a red and white paper is often used in Japan.A large platter: A ceramic platter, a wooden and lacquered tray, or a bamboo basket can be used for serving the sea bream.If you like to decorate the whole fish for your special occasions, here are some ideas you can do. How to Decorate the Fish for Special Occasions Next time when you’re in Japan and see the whole fish served on the table, you would know it is a special meal prepared for you. In fact, we have a special word for the ‘whole fish’ called Okashiratsuki (尾頭付き tail and head attached) or Sugatayaki (姿焼き grilled as a whole), which implies a special, expensive meal. Serving a whole fish is considered lavish and bountiful, which is the perfect opportunity to present the extravagance on happy occasions. But to some people, this may be a strange scene and could even be off-putting.Īs I like to share the real Japanese cuisine, just the way the Japanese eat in Japan, I wanted to present you with the traditional way of serving this dish. The image of a whole fish, including head, eyes, and fins, served on the table looks just fine to me as I grew up in Japan. How deep the slashes do we need? The depth of slashes is usually midway between the skin and the bone, just enough to opening up the flesh for the heat to get through more efficiently. The direct translation would be “decorative knife (cut)” on the front and “hidden knife (cut)” on the back. The front side with an “X” ( Jumonji 十文字) score is called Kazari-bocho (飾り包丁) and the slash(es) on the back is called Kakushi-bocho (隠し包丁). In Japan, the fish must be served with its head pointing left. Steam needs to escape, otherwise, the flesh and skin will burst open. Creates steam vents – If you don’t score the skin, the moisture inside the fish gets hot and turns into steam.Therefore, scoring the thickest part of the flesh allows the heat to reach the inside easily and cooks evenly with the rest of the fish. Even cooking – A whole fish has an uneven thickness.But why do we score fish? Here are two reasons: The most common way is to make diagonal slashes, but in Japan, we often score an “X”. Scoring the fish means slashing across the thickest part of the flesh. Make sure to pat dry the surface with a paper towel to remove the smelly fish odor/moisture before baking. Do not leave it for more than 30 minutes as umami from the fish will start to escape. It’s important to sprinkle salt 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. These have the property of coagulating when heated, and the salt has the function of promoting its action. Fish contains proteins called albumin and globulin. Seals in the good flavors – Salt helps to seal in all the food flavors by hardening the surface.Removes unwanted smell – Since the moisture from the fish also contains a fishy odor, you can also get rid of it.When the water inside comes out, the body/flesh becomes tight. Tightens the flesh (improve texture) – The salt concentration near the surface of the fish becomes high, and the water in the fish is drawn to the surface by the action of osmotic pressure to dilute it.Seasoning salt over the whole fish and leaving it for a while prior to cooking is important because it: It’s definitely worth checking with your local specialty grocers that offer a great selection of seafood. I’ve also seen this fish sold in Whole Foods and Drager’s in San Mateo. I got a 3-lb sea bream for this recipe ($30 each), but you can always ask for the specific sizes and their availability. Call ahead and make sure they have it in stock. If you are from the local Bay Area, I purchased my sea bream from the Suruki Supermarket in San Mateo. Your local Japanese grocery store should carry this fish especially toward the end of December. However, the actual red snapper is quite different from red sea bream. The story has it that British navigator Captain James Cook (18th century) had given the fish its name since it resembles the American red snapper. Tai is also often incorrectly called a red snapper. It can get even more confusing as there are over a hundred fish that ends in “tai” in Japanese. Similar fish that are used as substitutions include squirefish and tilapia. The name Tai could be a bit ambiguous because it is often mislabeled or substituted by other fish in sushi restaurants or fish markets.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |