Aji Nanbanzuke (Fried Horse Mackerel in Sweet Vinegar Sauce)
アジの南蛮漬け · Aji no Nanbanzuke
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Nanbanzuke is a Japanese classic: fish is dusted with flour, fried until crisp, then dressed in a sweet and sour sauce. This preschool version keeps the tang gentle by rounding out the vinegar with dashi stock and a little sugar, so even children who are wary of sour flavors take to it. Spooning the sauce over the fish with blanched cucumber and peeled, diced tomato adds color and softness that make the vegetables easy for little mouths to manage. It is a good way to introduce oily fish like aji to kids, since the sauce softens the fishy flavor.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 67.5 ghorse mackerel (aji)A small, mild oily fish very common in Japan, sold whole or as fillets. Substitute: Mackerel or sardine fillets.
- 13.5 gcucumber
- 27 gtomato
Seasonings
- 0.3 gginger paste (tube)Grated ginger sold ready to use in a squeeze tube, a staple in Japanese kitchens. Japanese school lunch kitchens grate fresh ginger for its aroma, but for cooking at home Aoi says the tube works just fine. Tube pastes often contain added salt, oil and other ingredients, so check the label. Substitute: Use freshly grated ginger in the same amount. 1 teaspoon of paste is about 5 g.
- 0.8 gsakeSake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- 0.8 gsoy sauce
- 9 gflour
- 9 gvegetable oil
- 2.1 gsugar
- 2.1 gsoy sauce (for the sweet vinegar sauce)
- 2.7 gvinegar
- 9.5 mldashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- horse mackerel (aji) (鯵)
- A small, mild oily fish very common in Japan, sold whole or as fillets. Substitute: Mackerel or sardine fillets.
- ginger paste (tube) (しょうがチューブ)
- Grated ginger sold ready to use in a squeeze tube, a staple in Japanese kitchens. Japanese school lunch kitchens grate fresh ginger for its aroma, but for cooking at home Aoi says the tube works just fine. Tube pastes often contain added salt, oil and other ingredients, so check the label. Substitute: Use freshly grated ginger in the same amount. 1 teaspoon of paste is about 5 g.
- sake (酒)
- Sake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
Directions
- 1
Rub the ginger, sake, and soy sauce into the fish and let the flavors soak in.
- 2
Dust both sides of the fish with flour and deep-fry in oil heated to 170°C (340°F).
- 3
Cut the cucumber into half-moons and blanch briefly. Cool under running water, then squeeze out the excess moisture.
- 4
Blanch the tomato to peel off the skin, then cut it into small cubes.
- 5
Combine the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and dashi stock in a small saucepan and heat briefly. Once it has cooled slightly, add the tomato and cucumber and let them marinate.
- 6
Arrange the fish on a plate and spoon the sweet vinegar sauce over the top.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 201 kcal | 402 kcal | 201 kcal |
| Protein | 14.6 g | 29.1 g | 14.6 g |
| Fat | 11.9 g | 23.7 g | 11.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.8 g | 21.6 g | 10.8 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Calcium | 13.5 mg | 27 mg | 13.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Potassium | 354 mg | 708 mg | 354 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 201 kcal | 14.6 g | 11.9 g | 10.8 g | 0.8 g | 0.6 g | 13.5 mg | 0.6 mg | 354 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 402 kcal | 29.1 g | 23.7 g | 21.6 g | 1.5 g | 1.2 g | 27 mg | 1.2 mg | 708 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Cooking for bigger kids? See the elementary-school portion of this recipe.
Ingredients in this recipe
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