Japanese Seafood Recipes - Grilled Whole Fish with Salt Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 small to medium whole fish, such as mackerel, trout, flounder, sole or pomfret

• 1 tablespoon coarse salt

• Lemon wedge, to garnish

• 4 oz (125 g) daikon radish (about 2 in/5 cm), grated and lightly squeezed to remove moisture

Pickled Lotus Root

• 1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced lotus root

• 3 tablespoons Sweet Vinegar (see recipe)

• 1 red chili, deseeded

• 1/4 cup (75 ml) Ponzu Dipping Sauce

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Method:

1. Prepare the Pickled Lotus Root in advance as it needs to marinate. Blanch the sliced lotus root in water for 30 seconds, drain and place it in the Sweet Vinegar. Heat the chili in a dry pan for a few seconds, then add it to the Sweet Vinegar. Pour in the Ponzu Dipping Sauce. Stir and refrigerate for several hours.

2. Clean, scale and rinse the fish thoroughly. Dry with a paper towel and make two deep incisions crosswise on each side. Put a skewer through the fish. Sprinkle both sides of the fish lightly with salt, then press a liberal amount of salt onto the tail and fins.

3. Cook the fish over a moderately hot charcoal fire or under a broiler, turning it with the skewer to avoid damaging the skin, until the fish is golden on both sides and cooked through. Turn the fish only once.

4. Wrap the tail in aluminum foil halfway through to avoid it getting too charred, if necessary. Serve on a plate garnished with the lemon wedge, grated daikon and Japanese soy sauce with the Pickled Lotus Root on the side.

Note: If using a long, narrow fish, put the skewer through the tail end of and out through the center, then through the head so that the fish has an "S" wave shape.