Aji no Sanbai (Grilled Horse Mackerel in Sanbaizu)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 100 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
Aji no sanbai is a summer fish dish from Kagawa made by grilling small horse mackerel until browned, then immersing the hot fish in sanbaizu blended from vinegar, sugar, dark soy sauce, dashi, and a pinch of salt.
Read more
Adding the fish while it is still hot helps the sweet, tart seasoning penetrate, and turning it during the rest seasons both sides evenly. Small horse mackerel enter the Seto Inland Sea from summer into autumn. In earlier times, fishermen shared fish with adults and children who helped pull in shore seines, and families turned that catch into this practical dish. Its refreshing acidity suited hot days and made it a familiar accompaniment to drinks at summer festivals.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Rinse the horse mackerel briefly under cold water and remove the gills and viscera.
Rinse blood from the cavities and dry inside and out thoroughly.
- 2Control
Combine vinegar, sugar, dark soy sauce, dashi, and salt in a small pan.
Stir over low heat only until the sugar dissolves, then pour into a wide heatproof dish.
- 3Control
Preheat a rack or fish grill well.
Place the presentation side down first and grill over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until deeply browned.
- 4Heat
Turn carefully and grill the other side for 5 to 7 minutes.
Confirm that the thickest part reaches at least 63°C and the flesh is opaque.
- 5Season
Without cooling, place the grilled fish in one layer in the sanbaizu.
Spoon sauce over the tops and turn each fish once after 30 minutes.
- 6Finish
Refrigerate 30 minutes more, then place two fish on each of four plates and spoon over a little sanbaizu.
Keep the fish chilled during marinating even if serving slightly warm.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Small horse mackerel are grilled whole until browned.
- Finish cue
- Confirm that the thickest part reaches at least 63°C and the flesh is opaque.
- Storage and reheating
- Refrigerate the finished dish in a sealed container and eat within two days.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
100min, 6 ingredients
Category median
22min, 7 ingredients
Based on 261 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Tsushima (Crumbled Tofu and Vegetable Salad)
rice vinegar, dashi stock
Kori-Dofu Tamago-Toji (Frozen Tofu and Egg Simmer)
dashi stock
Su no Shui (Warm Grated Daikon and Sardine Vinegar Soup)
rice vinegar