Sakana no nitsuke is a delicious fish dish simmered in a flavourful sauce consisting of classic Japanese condiments such as soy sauce, sake, mirin and ginger. This recipe can be used for all different kinds of fish, it's a must-try for fish lovers!
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What is Sakana no Nitsuke?
Sakana no Nitsuke (魚の煮付け) is a traditional Japanese cooking method in which whole fish or fish fillets are simmered in a sweet and savory broth seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake. The name of the dish comes from the words sakana (魚) which means "fish" and nitsuke (煮付け) which means "to simmer and flavor".
Nitsuke as a cooking method was developed as a way to preserve fish back in the days before refrigeration. It was especially used for types of fish that spoil easily, or fish with strong odors. The ingredients used in the broth remove or mask unpleasant smells, tenderize the flesh and highlight the natural qualities of the fish.
Japanese simmered fish is most commonly served with rice, miso soup and vegetable side dishes to make a "teishoku" set meal or "ichiju sansai" (a meal consisting of one soup and three side dishes).
Ingredients You Will Need
Sakana no nitsuke is a surprisingly simple dish that uses just a handful of ingredients. In fact, for the dish itself, you only need these 4 ingredients:
- Fish fillets or whole fish - Flatfish or flounder are most commonly used, but any kind of white fish works too. See below for more fish varieties that you can use to make sakana no nitsuke!
- Salt - Sea salt is recommended for even sprinkling.
- Fresh ginger - An essential ingredient for removing the odor of fish and adding flavor to the sauce.
- Japanese mustard spinach - Known as komatsuna (小松菜) in Japanese. It's also fine to use regular spinach or bok choi instead.
Sakana no nitsuke sauce
Sakana no nitsuke is always simmered in a traditional Japanese-style sauce that contains the following ingredients:
- Soy sauce - I use Japanese dark soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). If you want to know more about soy sauce used for Japanese cooking, please see my 20 Most Useful Condiments and Seasonings for Japanese Cooking post.
- Sake - A condiment that contributes to removing the odors of fish and tenderizing the flesh.
- Mirin - Choosing the right mirin can be tricky, as there are various "mirin-style condiments" that are not true mirin. When purchasing mirin, it is recommended to look for "hon mirin" (本みりん) for the best flavor. In the US, Hinode Hon Mirin is a high-quality and affordable option. Another premium hon mirin available on Amazon US is Kokonoe Jun Mikawa Hon Mirin. If you prefer a more budget-friendly option that is not hon mirin, Kikkoman's Manjo Aji Mirin would be a suitable choice.
- Sugar - personally, I like using light brown sugar for a little added depth, but white caster or granulated sugar is also fine.
The ratio of each ingredient varies from recipe to recipe, but these are the key ingredients you will need. I usually try to recommend alternatives for condiments, but I think it's important to maintain an authentic flavor and stick to proper Japanese ingredients when making Sakana no Nitsuke.
I have listed my recommended Japanese condiments, tools, and ingredients in the Sudachi Recipes Amazon shop. If you want to keep making various Japanese foods at home, please check it out!
Types of fish you can use to make Sakana no Nitsuke
I know, "simmered fish" is a pretty vague name, right? But that's because you can use many different kinds of fish for this recipe!
Here is a list of some fish I'd recommend using to make Sakana no Nitsuke:
- Cod
- Mackerel
- Flatfish
- Flounder
- Snapper
- Sole
- Haddock
- Yellowtail
This is definitely not an exclusive list, just some ideas! Sakana no Nitsuke is usually best made with white fish. Let me know in the comments if you have had success with other kinds of fish!
Using Otoshibuta to Make Simmered Fish
In this recipe, I'll be using a traditional Japanese cooking tool called an "otoshibuta". Let me tell you more about it and why we use it.
An otoshibuta (落し蓋) is a traditional Japanese cooking tool used for simmered dishes we call "nimono" (煮物). The word "otoshi" (落し) means to drop, and futa or "buta" (蓋) means lid. The small round lid sits on top of the simmering liquid, helping evenly distribute the heat around the food.
So why do we use a drop lid for sakana no nitsuke? Well, fish is typically flakey and delicate causing it to break easily, especially if cooked for long periods of time. This is where the drop lid comes in. By placing weight on the surface of the fish and broth, the force from the bubbling liquid is weakened, so the ingredients are less likely to move around.
Drop lids were traditionally made from wood, but stainless steel and silicone drop lids are also popular. The size of the steel ones can often be adjusted to fit different pans.
I have a few drop lids at home, but sometimes the size doesn't fit the pan I'm using. In this case, I just place foil or baking paper on top instead. They're not as heavy, but they do the trick! So if you don't have a drop lid and would like to try making your own, check out my step-by-step instructions on "How to make an Otoshibuta (Japanese Drop Lid)".
Step-by-Step Process
Here I will explain how to prepare the ingredients, make the broth and simmer the fish step by step with tips and advice along the way. For the full list of ingredients and simplified steps, see the printable recipe card below.
Prepare the ingredients
Start by sprinkling the fish with salt on both sides and resting for 10 minutes in the fridge. This will help draw out excess moisture.
Peel the fresh ginger and cut it into thin slices about 2mm thick. You could also julienne a small amount to garnish the dish at the end if you like.
Use a sharp knife to make shallow incisions on the skin. This will allow the flavor of the broth to penetrate the fish more evenly when simmering.
Prepare a bowl of freshly boiled water and a bowl of ice cold water.
Use tongs to hold each fish fillet in the boiled water for 5-10 seconds and then immediately transfer it to the ice water.
This method essentially washes and shocks the fish, helping remove any unpleasant fishy-ness and improving the taste.
Dry the surface of the fish using kitchen paper. This is to prevent watering down the broth.
Make the broth and simmer
Add the water, sake, mirin and sugar to a pan large enough for the fish to lay flat.
Transfer the pan to the stove and heat on medium. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then add the ginger and fish with the skin side facing up.
Once the mixture starts to bubble, add the drop lid and allow to simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove the drop lid and measure out the soy sauce. Add one-third of the soy sauce to the broth.
Scoop the broth and baste the fish until the soy sauce has incorporated into the rest of the broth. Repeat until you've used all of the soy sauce measured.
Place the drop lid back on and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the fish is simmering, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and cut the Japanese mustard spinach (komatsuna) into 5cm (2inch) pieces.
Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute.
Transfer the Japanese mustard spinach to a bowl of cold water and set aside.
Once the fish has been simmering for 10 minutes, remove the drop lid and baste until the liquid has reduced to one-third of its original volume.
It might be tempting to turn up the heat to speed up the process, but I recommend being patient and simmering over a medium or medium-low heat for better flavor and texture.
Transfer the fish to serving plates and pour a few tablespoons of the broth over the top. Squeeze any excess water out of the Japanese mustard spinach and place them on the side of the fish.
Top with a few pieces of ginger and enjoy!
Storage instructions
Sakana no nitsuke should be cooled quickly and stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Make sure not to leave it at room temperature for more than 20 minutes to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
To reheat, I recommend heating on the stove since microwaving can negatively impact the texture.
To freeze, place the fish in a metal tray or ziplock bag with the sauce and use within 2 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove.
Other Recommended Japanese Fish Recipes
I hope you enjoy this delicious Japanese style of cooking fish! And if you liked this dish, you might like some of the other fish recipes on my blog.
- Pan-fried Miso Salmon
- Grilled Salmon (Shiozake)
- Grilled Mackerel (Saba no Shioyaki)
- Teriyaki Cod
- Simmered Mackerel with Miso
- Pan Fried Teriyaki Salmon
- Sanma no Shioyaki (Salt Grilled Pacific Saury)
- Unagi Donburi (Eel Rice Bowl)
Sakana no Nitsuke (Japanese simmered fish)
Ingredients
- 200 g fillets of white fish - flatfish, flounder, snapper or similar
- 2 pinches salt
- 20 g fresh ginger
- 1 bowl freshly boiled water
- 1 bowl ice cold water
- 150 ml water
- 150 ml sake
- 45 ml mirin
- 30 g sugar
- 50 ml soy sauce
- 50 g Japanese mustard spinach - (komatsuna) or regular spinach/bok choi
Instructions
- First, sprinkle 200 g fillets of white fish with a 2 pinches salt on each side and rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut the 20 g fresh ginger into 2mm thick slices.
- After 10 minutes, use a sharp knife to make shallow incisions on the skin. This can be a cross or 2-3 diagonal lines. (If you're using a whole fish such as snapper, make incisions on both sides.)
- Prepare 1 of 1 bowl freshly boiled water and 1 1 bowl ice cold water.
- Swill the fish in the boiling water for 5 seconds, then transfer to the ice water.
- Remove it and dry with a paper towel.
- Pour 150 ml water, 150 ml sake, 45 ml mirin and 30 g sugar into a pan.
- Place over a medium heat and stir. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the ginger slices and fish with the skin side facing up.
- Once the broth starts to bubble, place a drop lid (instructions in post) on top of the fish and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Measure out 50 ml soy sauce and remove the drop lid. Pour ⅓ of the soy sauce over the fish, and spoon the liquid in the pan over the fish. Once it is incorporated into the rest of the sauce, repeat until you've used all of the soy sauce.
- Return the drop lid to it's original position and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While it's simmering, bring a small pot of water to the boil and cut 50 g Japanese mustard spinach into 5cm (2 inch) pieces.
- Blanch for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl of cold water.
- After the fish has been simmering for 10 minutes, remove the drop lid and continue to spoon the sauce over the surface until the liquid is reduced to one-third of its original volume.
- Serve the fish fillets up on a plate, top with ginger and pour a few tablespoons of leftover sauce over the top. Squeeze the excess water out of the Japanese mustard spinach and place on the side of the plate.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Equipment
FAQ
What does Nitsuke mean in Japanese?
Nitsuke is a dish in which fish, vegetables, etc. are soaked in a sweet and savory broth seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake, etc., and boiled so that they are well seasoned.
What is Karei no nitsuke in English?
Karei is the Japanese name for flounder, flatfish or dabs. Karei no nitsuke can be translated as "simmered founder" and is a Japanese dish where the fish is simmered in a broth made with soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar.
What is sakana fish?
Sakana is not a word that refers to a specific type of fish, but the Japanese word for fish in general.
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