Soy-Glazed Mackerel with Short-Grain Rice and Quick Cabbage Pickle

Soy-glazed mackerel fillets rest on warm short-grain rice seasoned with vinegar, sugar, and salt, beside a bright quick cabbage pickle. It echoes Vinegar Rice at First Light, when late-Edo stalls near Nihonbashi folded vinegar into dawn rice before the temple bells finished.

Serves 2

Estimate for one serving

• 900 cal
• 16g protein
• 50g carbs
• 10.5g fat
• 3g fiber

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Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 oz mackerel fillets
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 cups green cabbage
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. 1Cook the rinsed short-grain rice then season with the first rice vinegar, sugar, and salt mixture while still warm.
2. 2Stir together soy sauce and mirin. Place mackerel fillets skin-side down in a cold nonstick skillet, pour half the soy mixture over them, then turn heat to medium and cook 4 minutes. Flip, add remaining glaze, and cook 3 more minutes until glazed and cooked through.
3. 3Shred the cabbage, toss with the second rice vinegar and sugar plus salt, and let sit 10 minutes to quick-pickle.
4. 4Serve the glazed mackerel alongside bowls of seasoned rice and the quick cabbage pickle.