Saba no Misoni (Miso-Simmered Mackerel) (Elementary School Portion)
【小学校】サバの味噌煮 · Saba no Misoni
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese elementary school lunch menu
Saba no misoni is one of Japan's classic home-cooked fish dishes: mackerel gently simmered in a sweet, savory miso sauce with a touch of ginger. It is a regular on school lunch menus because the rich miso softens the fish's strong flavor and makes it easy for children to enjoy. In this version the fillets are dusted with flour and lightly seared before simmering, which takes away any fishy smell, and the sauce is finished with a little potato starch so it clings to the fish and to the rice. Letting the mackerel cool in the pot lets the flavor soak all the way through.
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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 elementary school, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 88.8 gmackerel
- 36.6 gdashi 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.
- 1.7 gwater
Seasonings
- 4.4 gflour
- 1 gvegetable oil
- 4.4 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- 2.1 gsugar
- 2.1 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.
- 1 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.
- 1 gsoy sauce
- 0.3 gpotato starch (katakuriko)Japanese potato starch used for thickening sauces and coating fried foods. Substitute: Cornstarch: start with the same amount and add a little more if it is still thin. It thickens a little less than potato starch and needs a couple of minutes at a gentle bubble to reach full thickness.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- 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.
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- 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.
- 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.
- potato starch (katakuriko) (かたくり粉)
- Japanese potato starch used for thickening sauces and coating fried foods. Substitute: Cornstarch: start with the same amount and add a little more if it is still thin. It thickens a little less than potato starch and needs a couple of minutes at a gentle bubble to reach full thickness. Read the guide: Katakuriko (Japanese Potato Starch) and What to Use Instead → Guide: japanese-school-lunch.com/articles/katakuriko-potato-starch/
Directions
- 1
Pat both sides of the mackerel dry with paper towels. Dust with flour and tap off any excess.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the mackerel and lightly brown both sides (about 3 minutes total for both sides). Searing the surface takes away any fishy smell.
- 3
Put the miso, sugar, sake, ginger paste, soy sauce and dashi stock in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the mackerel, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Cover with a drop lid (a small lid that sits directly on the food) and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- 5
Turn off the heat and pour in the potato starch dissolved in water. Return to low heat and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- 6
Turn off the heat and let the mackerel cool in the pot so the flavor soaks in.
Note: The amount of dashi stock will vary depending on the size of your pot and how much you are making. Add enough dashi to come about halfway up the mackerel fillets.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 235.2 kcal | 470.4 kcal | 235.2 kcal |
| Protein | 19.4 g | 38.7 g | 19.4 g |
| Fat | 16.2 g | 32.4 g | 16.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.4 g | 14.7 g | 7.4 g |
| Fiber | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 12.1 mg | 24.3 mg | 12.1 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Potassium | 342.9 mg | 685.8 mg | 342.9 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 235.2 kcal | 19.4 g | 16.2 g | 7.4 g | 0.3 g | 0.8 g | 12.1 mg | 1.2 mg | 342.9 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 470.4 kcal | 38.7 g | 32.4 g | 14.7 g | 0.6 g | 1.5 g | 24.3 mg | 2.4 mg | 685.8 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese elementary-school 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.
This is the elementary-school portion of Saba no Misoni (Mackerel Simmered in Miso) (larger quantities, same method).
