Sakana to harusame no nikomi / deep-fried white fish simmered with mung bean vermicelli

A soothing, filling and warming dish for a chilly day.

<Ingredients>

200-250 g white fish

For fish marinade
1 knob ginger
1 tbsp sake
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4-1/2 tsp sesame oil (not in photo)

1 egg
2-3 tbsp potato starch
Oil (to deep-fry fish and saute green onions; not in photo)

30-40 g (small bundle) mung bean vermicelli
4-5 green onions (white sections)

For broth
400-450 cc chicken stock
1/2 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar


<Directions>
1.

Cut fish into smaller pieces (7-8 cm).
Grate ginger.

2.

Squeeze ginger juice over fish, pour sake, soy sauce and sesame oil over fish, and marinate for 30 minutes.

Flip once or twice while marinating.

3.

Soak mung bean vermicelli in hot water (5 minutes in boiling water; 10-20 minutes in warm water).

When soft, drain, and cut into 10cm.

4.

Chop green onions into 2-3cm.

5.

Deep-fry fish.
Heat oil to 170 C (340 F).
Lightly beat egg in a container, and have potato starch in another container.
    

Coat fish with egg, then with potato starch, and deep-fry.

When almost done, raise heat somewhat, wait for a while (20-30 seconds or longer), and lift each piece, still immersing one end in oil at first to draw it back to the pot, then remove while lightly shaking off oil, and place on paper towel-lined plate.

6.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot, and saute green onion on medium to medium high heat.

Add chicken stock, and bring to boil.

Add fish, mung bean vermicelli, sake, soy sauce and sugar, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

<Notes>

• This tastes good the next day, too.
• The depth of flavor in the final dish comes from the deep-fried fish, especially its marinade. If marinating the fish for shorter time, slightly increase the amount of soy sauce.
• When rehydrating mung bean vermicelli, be careful not to make it too soft (which tends to happen when you use boiling water). When softened too much at the prep stage, it will not absorb the flavorful broth during main cooking and become rather bland, overly soft noodles.