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Aji no tataki
Chopped horse mackerel with ginger
Aji no tataki (鯵のたたき): very fresh horse mackerel chopped with ginger, spring onion and shiso
Aji no tataki is a dish of Japan's fishing ports, from the Izu peninsula to Kyushu, eaten as a summer lunch over rice or a starter with cold drinks when the horse mackerel come in fresh. The raw fillets are skinned and chopped with a knife, then mixed with grated ginger, spring onion and shiso, so the fish is soft, cool and clean-tasting with a sharp herbal bite. As a main over rice, a portion has about 28 g of protein from the fish. This is raw fish: buy only sashimi-grade fish from a fishmonger you trust, keep it ice-cold, and freeze it at −20 °C for at least 24 hours first to kill parasites; anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weak immune system should not eat it. The common mistake is chopping it into a paste: keep small pieces with some texture. Chef's tip: chill the board and the bowl, and work quickly, so the fish never warms up.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz horse mackerel (aji) fillets, sashimi gradefrom 3–4 fish; previously frozen as described
- ¾ in gingerfinely grated
- 3 spring onionsfinely sliced
- 6 shiso leaves4 finely shredded, 2 whole to serve
- 1 tsp white miso (optional)
- 2 tbsp soy sauceto serve
- ½ lemon (optional)cut into wedges
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Check the fillets: they should smell of the sea, not fishy, and look glossy. Pull out the pin bones with tweezers, running a finger along each fillet to find them.
Step 2: Peel the thin skin off from the head end towards the tail with your fingers; it should come away in one sheet and leave the silver layer behind.
Step 3: Cut 10 ½ oz horse mackerel (aji) fillets, sashimi grade into strips, then across into 5 mm pieces. Chop a little more with the heel of the knife, but stop while you can still see separate pieces.
Step 4: In a chilled bowl, fold the fish with most of 3 spring onions, the shredded 6 shiso leaves, half of ⅜ in ginger and 1 tsp white miso, if using.
Step 5: Lay the whole shiso leaves on chilled plates and mound the fish on top. Scatter over the rest of the spring onion and put the rest of ⅜ in ginger alongside.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aji no tataki take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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