Simmered Cod (Tara no Nitsuke)
たらの煮つけ · Tara no Nitsuke
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Nitsuke is the everyday Japanese way of simmering fish in a light broth of dashi, soy sauce, sugar and mirin, and cod is a natural fit: mild, soft and nearly boneless, so even small children eat it happily. The touch of ginger keeps the flavor clean without any heat, and the gentle sweetness of the sauce is exactly what wins fish-shy kids over. In the preschool kitchen the cod is dusted with flour and baked before it goes into the broth, a small step that keeps the fillets fluffy and stops them falling apart as they simmer.
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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 gcod
Seasonings
- 2.1 gflour
- 67.5 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.
- 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.
- 1.4 gsugar
- 2.4 gsoy sauce
- 1.4 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
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.
- 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.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
- 1
Dust the cod with flour, place it on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes.
- 2
Combine the dashi stock with the ginger paste, sugar, soy sauce and mirin and bring to a brief boil.
- 3
Arrange the cod in the broth, cover with a drop lid (otoshibuta, or a sheet of parchment resting directly on the fish) and simmer, spooning the broth over the fish from time to time.
- 4
Plate the cod and spoon the simmering broth over the top.
Dusting the fish with flour and baking it first takes away any fishy smell, gives it a fluffy texture, and helps it hold together without falling apart as it simmers.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 67.5 kcal | 135 kcal | 67.5 kcal |
| Protein | 12.3 g | 24.6 g | 12.3 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 0.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.9 g | 7.8 g | 3.9 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 22.5 mg | 45 mg | 22.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Potassium | 291 mg | 582 mg | 291 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 67.5 kcal | 12.3 g | 0.2 g | 3.9 g | 0 g | 0.5 g | 22.5 mg | 0.2 mg | 291 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 135 kcal | 24.6 g | 0.3 g | 7.8 g | 0 g | 0.9 g | 45 mg | 0.3 mg | 582 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.
