Saba Misoni (Japanese Mackerel Simmered in Miso)
Mackerel fillets gently simmered in a sweet-savoury miso, mirin and ginger sauce until tender and glazed. A home-style teishoku favourite.
Ingredients
- 2 mackerel fillets (about 300g), skin on, each cut in half
- 1 tsp salt
- 150ml water
- 3 tbsp sake
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2cm piece ginger, half thinly sliced, half cut into fine matchsticks
- 2 1/2 tbsp red or awase miso
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 spring onion, sliced, to serve
Instructions
- Sprinkle the mackerel with salt and leave for 10 minutes. Pour boiling water over the pieces in a colander, then rinse in cold water and pat dry. This removes any fishy smell.
- Cut a shallow cross in the skin of each piece so the sauce soaks in and the skin does not curl.
- Put the water, sake, mirin, sugar and sliced ginger in a frying pan just big enough to hold the fish. Bring to the boil.
- Lay the mackerel in skin side up. Cover with a lid or a circle of baking paper and simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes.
- Mix the miso with a few spoonfuls of the hot liquid until smooth, then stir it into the pan with the soy sauce.
- Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish, until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
- Serve the mackerel with the sauce spooned over, topped with ginger matchsticks and spring onion, with rice and miso soup.
About this dish
Saba misoni (鯖の味噌煮) is mackerel simmered in miso, one of the most common fish dishes in Japanese home cooking and set-meal (teishoku) shops. The fish cooks gently in sake, ginger and mirin until it is soft, and miso is stirred in to make a thick, glossy, sweet-savoury glaze.
Mirin is the Japanese sweet rice wine that gives the sauce its shine and gentle sweetness. If you like saba shioyaki, this is the richer, saucier version. It is also a good next step from miso glazed salmon and nikujaga.
Tips for the best result
- Don't skip the salt and boiling-water rinse. It firms the fish and takes away any strong smell.
- Add the miso partway through, not at the start, so its flavour stays fresh.
- Keep the heat gentle so the fillets hold together.
Substitutions
- Mackerel: salmon, sardine fillets or thick pieces of trevally all work.
- Sake: use extra water with 1 tsp rice vinegar.
- Mirin: 1 tbsp sugar with 1 tbsp water per 2 tbsp mirin.
Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 2 days in its sauce and is often eaten cold in bento. Reheat gently in a covered pan.
Saba misoni FAQs
What is mirin?
Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used for cooking. It adds mild sweetness and a glossy finish to sauces. One tablespoon (about 18g) has roughly 40-45 calories, almost all from sugar.
Which miso is best for saba misoni?
Red (aka) or mixed (awase) miso gives the classic deep flavour. White miso works too but tastes sweeter and milder, so cut the sugar a little.
Where can I buy mackerel in Australia?
Japanese and Korean grocers sell frozen saba fillets, often pre-salted. Fishmongers sell fresh slimy mackerel and blue mackerel, which work just as well.
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