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Sakana no Nitsuke (Japanese simmered fish)

5 from 2 votes
By Yuto Omura
https://sudachirecipes.com
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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 2 portions
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 2 portions

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

  • 200 g fillets of white fish flatfish, flounder, snapper or similar
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 20 g ginger root
  • 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) (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.
    flatfish sprinkled with salt
  • Cut the 20 g ginger root into 2mm thick slices.
    sliced ginger on a wooden chopping board
  • 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.)
    flatfish with crosses cut into the skin
  • Prepare 1 of 1 bowl freshly boiled water and 1 1 bowl ice cold water.
    bowl of freshly boiled water next to bowl of ice water
  • Swill the fish in the boiling water for 5 seconds, then transfer to the ice water.
    flatfish in ice water
  • Remove it and dry with a paper towel.
    patting surface of flatfish dry with kitchen paper
  • Pour 150 ml water, 150 ml sake, 45 ml mirin and 30 g sugar into a pan.
    water, sake, mirin and sugar in 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.
    Flatfish and ginger simmering in broth
  • Once the broth starts to bubble, lower the heat and place a drop lid (instructions in post) on top of the fish. Simmer for 3 minutes.
    Sakana no nitsuke simmering with wooden drop lid
  • 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.
    Basting flatfish with sakana no nitsuke broth
  • Return the drop lid to it's original position and simmer for 10 minutes.
    simmering sakana no nitsuke with wooden drop lid
  • While it's simmering, bring a small pot of water to the boil and cut 50 g Japanese mustard spinach (komatsuna) into 5cm (2 inch) pieces.
    komatsuna cut into 5cm pieces on a wooden chopping board
  • Blanch for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl of cold water.
    Blanching komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach)
  • 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.
    Final basting of sakana no nitsuke
  • 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.
    Sakana no nitsuke served on a white plate with blanched Japanese mustard spinach
  • Enjoy!

Notes

To store, cool quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To freeze, store in a metal container or ziplock bag in the sauce and use within 2-3 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator over night.
Reheat on the stove.