Kinki no aradaki / channel rockfish in soy sauce broth

Aradaki of bony fish pieces is a cool-season favorite and a standard dish at izakaya pubs.

<Ingredients>

(4 servings)

600-700 g bony parts of channel rockfish
15-20 cm daikon radish
1 knob ginger
4 tbsp dashi
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
100 cc (7 tbsp) sake
2 tsp brown sugar
1-2 tbsp mirin

<Directions>
1.

Cut daikon into 2-3 cm thick rounds.

Slice ginger.

2.

  .
Put water used for washing/rinsing rice in a pot, and boil daikon until soft 

If water used for washing rice is not available, put a dozen rice grains in water.

When daikon is soft to the degree where a bamboo skewer smoothly goes though, drain and rinse daikon.

3.

Prepare fish.

Bring water to boil in a pot, and have a bowl of water with ice cubes ready.

Put fish in boiling water, a small number of pieces each time.

When fish surface becomes opaque, immediately put in ice water.

Remove scales and bloody parts (easily done with fingers).

Cleaned, and ready to be cooked.

4.

In a shallow pan, place fish and daikon with ginger in between.
Add dashi, soy sauce, sake, and brown sugar.

Cover with dropped lid (sits directly on top of ingredients), bring liquid to boil. Skim, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until liquid is reduced.

Scoop liquid and pour over ingredients from time to time.

5.

When ingredients absorb flavor, add mirin, scoop liquid and pour over ingredients, and cook for a few more minutes.

<Notes>

• Daikon is prep-cooked in water used for washing rice or with rice to make it tender and translucent. Prep-cooked daikon absorbs flavor well in main cooking.
• Prep-blanching of bony parts hardens the fish surface (protein) to seal in good flavor. It also hardens blood vessels, which make them easy to remove.
• If a good-size dropped lid is not available, cut parchment paper or foil. It helps liquid circulate and reach all ingredient surfaces.
• Mirin added at the end gives a glossy appearance.