Tag Archives: 鯖

美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 鯖, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Mackerel, Saba, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 13: Mackerel-Saba-鯖

April 28, 2012 dragonlife 7 Comments

Mackerel or saba is a fish eaten over the whole Northern Hemisphere and does come under many varieties and names.
In Japan it is mainly called “Saba”, “Masaba” or “Sekisaba”.
In this country it is mainly caught off Oita, Saga Prefecture, although quite a few are caught off our coasts in Shizuoka Prefecture, especially off Yaizu.
They feed on plankton mainly.

They are prepared and cooked in many guises. In France, my birthplace, they are steamed and then pickled in white wine and spices before being canned.

Naturally tinned mackerel is available in Japan,too!

In Northern Europe they are also eaten half raw as smorgasbrod and pickled fish.

It can be appreciated as sashimi, but it must be absolutely fresh and is best served with grated fresh ginger and lemon.
As far as sushi is concerned, “masaba” variety is best

Saba Konbujime nigiri.

It is especially popular as “oshizushi” (pressed sushi).

Double oshizushi!

My preference goes for Saba konbujime.

Saba Bogata

The mackerel is kept inside a variety of wet seaweed for an hour or so before put whole on top of a long “bar” of rice, then cut to size.

Saba Heshiko Zuke.
Saba/Mackerel has been a staple fish in Japan since immemorial times.
One way to conserve it for better transport away from the shores was “Saba Heshiko Zuke”, that is, pickled in miso and sake white lees.

Saba/mackerel is easily grilled, either on the stick as above,

or grilled and served cut in slices.

The same grilled saba can be served as oshizushi/presed sushi!

Saba can be also served to a tasty crispiness by deep-frying it!

Or simmered the Japanese way with miso, sake, soy sauce, ginger and mirin!

A very versatile fish!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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Sushi Recipe: Grilled Mackerel/Yaki Saba

August 7, 2010 dragonlife 10 Comments

Mackerel, or saba/鯖 in Japanese is a very popular fish everywhere in the world.
The Japanese love theiir mackerel sushi either raw or pickled as “shimesaba/しめ鯖”.
For people who both love sushi, but prefer their mackerel cooked, hereis a simple recipe:

Grilled Mackerel Sushi/yaki Saba Sushi!

INGREDIENTS: for 2 people

-Rice: 180 cc/ml (uncooked)
-Mackerel: 1/2, fresh (not salted)
-Fresh ginger: 20 g
-Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
-Rice vinegar: 2 large tablespoons
-Sugar: 2 tablespoons
-Salt: 1/2 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Wash the rice and steam it normally, but with a little less water than ususal.

-Chop the fresh ginger very finely.
Add the rice vinegar, sugar and salt to the chopped fressh ginger into a bowl and heat to boil. Reduce fire to low immediately and cook for 1~2 minutes.
Let cool down.

-Take bones out of the fish.
Salt both sides and grill on both sides.
Grill until skin becomes “bubbly”.

-In a bowl, drop the freshly steamed rice. Add the ginger dressing to it.
Using a fan to cool it at the same time, “cut in/mix” the rice gently with a spatula until it has become brilliant and well-coated.

-Spread the fish skin down on a sheet of cellophane paper. Place the sushi rice on top and along so as to cover it completely. Don’t be afraid to use plenty!

-Wrap the cellophane paper around the mackerel and rice and form a thick “stick” with your hands. Leave aside for a while.

-Cutting: use a sharp knife and cut acroos the wrapped sushi, wiping the knife clean after every cut.
Unwrap and serve!

Easy sushi recipe for people who don’t like raw fish!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Japanese Seasonal Fish: Saba/Mackerel

February 6, 2010 dragonlife 5 Comments

Mackerel or saba is a fish eaten over the whole Northern Hemisphere and does come under many varieties and names.
In Japan it is mainly called “Saba”, “Masaba” or “Sekisaba”.
In this country it is mainly caught off Oita, Saga Prefecture, although quite a few are caught off our coasts, especially off Yaizu.
They feed on plankton mainly.

They are prepared and cooked in many guises. In France, my birthplace, they are steamed and then pickled in white wine and spices before being canned.

naturally tinned tuna is available in Japan,too!

In Northern Europe they also eaten half raw as smorgasbrod and pickled fish.

It can be appreciated as sashimi, but it must be absolutely fresh and is best served with grated fresh ginger and lemon.
As far as sushi is concerned, “masaba” variety is best

Saba Konbujime nigiri.

It is especially popular as “oshizushi” (pressed sushi).

Double oshizushi!

My preference goes for Saba konbujime.

Saba Bogata

The mackerel is kept inside a variety of wet seaweed for an hour or so before put whole on top of a long “bar” of rice, then cut to size.

Saba Heshiko Zuke.
Saba/Mackerel has been a staple fish in Japan since immemorial times.
One way to conserve it for better transport away from the shores was “Saba Heshiko zuke”, that is pickled in miso and sake white lees.

Saba/mackerel is easily grilled, either on the stick as above,

or grilled and served cut in slices.

The same grilled saba can be served as oshizushi/presed sushi!

Saba can be also served to a tatsty crispiness by deep-frying it!

Or simmered the Japanese way with miso, sake, soy sauce, ginger and mirin!

A very versatile fish!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi,
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日本語のブログ
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Uncategorized

Japanese seasonal Fish: Saba/Mackerel

December 11, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

The Japan Blog List

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Mackerel or saba, not to be confused with sanma/mackerel pike, is a fish eaten over the whole Northern Hemisphere and does come under many varieties and names.
In Japan it is mainly called “Saba”, “Masaba” or “Sekisaba”.
“Saba” is written 鯖 in Japanese, that is a combination of kanji characters for “fish” and “blue”!
Here, it is mainly caught off Oita, Saga Prefecture (Kyushu), although quite a few are caught off our coasts. They feed on plankton mainly.

(mackerel catch in Yaizu Harbour)
They are prepared and cooked in many guises.
In France, my birthplace, they are steamed and then pickled in white wine and spices. In Northern Europe they are also eaten half raw as smorgasbrod and pickled fish.
It can be appreciated as sashimi, but it must be absolutely fresh and is best served with grated fresh ginger and lemon:

As far as sushi is concerned, “masaba” variety is best:

It is especially popular as “oshizushi” (pressed sushi).
My preference goes for konbu zume saba. the mackerel is kept inside a variety of wet seaweed for an hour or so before put whole on top of a long “bar” of rice, then cut to size:

(picture taken at Tomii estaurant, Shizuoka City)