Japanese Salt-Grilled Mackerel

Whole mackerel fillets lightly salted and grilled until crisp-skinned, with grated mooli and lemon.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 40 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Very Easy

Ingredients

  • 4 mackerel fillets, about 150g each, pin-boned
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp sunflower oil
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • 6 tbsp finely grated mooli (daikon)
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • Cooked short-grain rice, to serve

Method

  1. Pat the mackerel dry and score the skin with 2 or 3 shallow cuts. Sprinkle the salt over both sides and leave for 20 minutes, then pat dry again to remove the moisture that has come out.

  2. Preheat the grill to high. Brush the grill rack or a foil-lined tray with the oil.

  3. Place the fillets skin-side up and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, without turning, until the skin is crisp and blistered and the flesh flakes easily.

  4. Serve with the lemon wedges, a mound of grated mooli drizzled with the soy sauce and rice.