Steamed Mackerel with Green Chile Dashi

healthyish mackerel fish mushroom kombu ginger garlic mirin soy sauce red pepper daikon spinach jalapeño cilantro

Junghyun Park

4 servings

Source

Ingredients

4 4-ounce boneless, skinless mackerel fillets

Kosher salt

2 dried shiitake mushrooms

1 4x4-inch piece kombu

1 ½-inch piece ginger, finely grated

1 garlic clove, finely grated

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ teaspoon mild red pepper flakes

½ cup very thinly sliced peeled daikon

½ cup spinach (or kale, cilantro, or parsley), trimmed

½ jalapeño, seeded, chopped

Cilantro leaves (for serving)

Method

Season fish generously with salt (but don’t go crazy). Let sit 20 minutes to absorb seasoning.

Meanwhile, mix mushrooms, kombu, ginger, garlic, mirin, soy sauce, red pepper, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer insert or bamboo steamer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, discard kombu, and continue to simmer, adjusting heat as needed, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes.

Rinse fish and pat dry. Scatter daikon across bottom of steamer insert and lay fish over. Steam fish, maintaining an active simmer in liquid (err on the side of less heat if you aren’t sure), until fish is just opaque at the center and a tester inserted into the thickest part of the fillets meets no resistance, 6–8 minutes.

Transfer fish to a plate. Discard mushrooms, then carefully pour steaming liquid into a blender. Add spinach and jalapeño. Remove cap from hole in lid, cover opening with a kitchen towel, and start blender on lowest speed to prevent hot liquid from splashing out the top like a geyser. Gradually increase speed and blend until smooth.

Divide fish, daikon, and broth among bowls. Top with cilantro.