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Tai-meshi (sea bream rice)
鯛めし: rice cooked under a whole sea bream, then flaked through at the table
Ehime prefecture on Shikoku farms more red sea bream than anywhere else in Japan, and tai-meshi is its signature rice. Around Matsuyama and the old fishing town of Hojo, a whole grilled fish is laid on seasoned rice and cooked in the same pot, then the flesh is flaked through the grains at the table. Down the coast in Uwajima the same name means raw bream on hot rice, but this is the cooked kind. Sea bream is a fish for celebrations in Japan, so the dish turns up at weddings and New Year as well as in station lunch boxes. Chef's tip: grill the fish briefly before it goes in the pot; the browned skin adds a toasty flavour to the rice and keeps the fish from smelling of the sea.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 whole red sea bream (or sea bream)about 400 g, scaled and gutted, small enough to fit your pot
- 1 tsp salt
For the rice
- 2 ¼ cups water
- ⅛ oz kombu (dried kelp)a 5 cm piece
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi)
- 2 tbsp sakecontains alcohol; see step 3 for an alcohol-free swap
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅔ oz gingercut into fine matchsticks
To serve
- 4 tbsp mitsuba or spring onionschopped
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Rinse 16 oz Japanese short-grain rice in cold water, swirling and draining, 4 or 5 times until the water runs almost clear. Leave it to drain in a sieve.
5 minStep 2: Make 2 shallow diagonal cuts on each side of 1 whole red sea bream (or sea bream) and sprinkle it all over, inside and out, with 1 tsp salt. Leave for 15 minutes, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
15 minStep 3: Mix 2 ¼ cups water, 2 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi), 2 tbsp sake and ½ tsp salt in a jug. Sake contains alcohol, though most cooks off; for an alcohol-free version use 2 tbsp more water instead.
1 minStep 4: Heat the grill to high. Grill the fish on a foil-lined tray for 4 minutes on each side until the skin is golden and blistered in spots. It does not need to be cooked through yet.
8 minStep 5: Put the rice in a heavy pot or donabe with a tight lid, about 24 to 26 cm across. Pour in the seasoned water, tuck in ⅛ oz kombu (dried kelp) and scatter over ⅔ oz ginger. Lay the fish on top.
2 minStep 6: Cover and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. You will hear it bubble and see steam escape from the lid.
8 minStep 7: Turn the heat to its lowest and cook for 13 minutes without lifting the lid.
13 minStep 8: Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 10 minutes to steam. Then check the fish: the flesh at the thickest part, next to the backbone, should be opaque and lift easily away from the bone (145°F/145 °F). If not, cover and steam on low for a few more minutes.
10 minStep 9: Show the pot at the table, then lift the fish onto a board. Remove the skin, head and backbone and pick the flesh into flakes. Common mistake: flaking the fish straight into the rice; sea bream has strong rib bones and fine pin bones, so pull the flesh apart with your fingers on the board and feel for bones before it goes back in.
5 minStep 10: Discard the kombu, return the boned flesh to the pot and fold it gently through the rice with a rice paddle. Serve in bowls topped with 4 tbsp mitsuba or spring onions.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 85 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tai-meshi (sea bream rice) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of japanese short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce (usukuchi)?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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