From Catch to Plate: DIY Mackerel Sushi & Namero with Captain Diki
Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life of Awaji. I’m Captain Daiki. Today was just another ordinary day of fishing without any set plans, so I decided to check out the situation on the water to see what we could go after. After spotting some massive bait signals, I decided to pick up some small bait fish to make fresh sushi.
Here is how the day went and how you can prepare your own mackerel feast at home!
The Catch of the Day
While the first few bites were just baby jack mackerels—which I politely asked to “bring your parents” before tossing back—we eventually landed some heavier fish that were the perfect size. By the end of the trip, I had caught enough fish for sushi and headed back home.+3
I brought home two different types of mackerel:
- Saba: This is also known as Pacific mackerel.
- Ai (Aji): This is Jack mackerel, which is fantastic for making sushi.
Prepping the Mackerel
Once the fish were scaled, gutted, and cleaned up, it was time to prep them for sushi.
Curing the Pacific Mackerel (Shimesaba) To make this fish perfect for sashimi, I like to cure it.
- First, generously salt the fillets to dehydrate them and make the meat firm.
- Let the salted fillets rest in the fridge for about an hour.
- Next, rinse off the salt using water and vinegar.
- Place the fillets in a bag and marinate them in vinegar for about 2 hours. The fillet is ready when it gets a little white.
- For the absolute best flavor, wipe the fish off and rest it in the fridge for a day before making your sushi.
Fileting the Jack Mackerel Jack mackerel is a great fish to practice your knife skills on because the bone is pretty straight.
- Peel off the skin by pressing the dull side of your knife against the cutting board and pulling the skin over.
- To get completely boneless fillets, use a “V-cut” technique to remove all the pin bones at once.
Sushi Masterclass: Rice and Nigiri
Good sushi starts with good rice.
- I use steamed rice and mix it with rice vinegar.
- I also add a little bit of kelp to give the rice an umami flavor.
- Let the rice cool down in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
How to form Nigiri like a pro:
- Prepare a 50/50 mixture of water and rice vinegar to moisten your whole palm.
- Hold a piece of your sliced fish in your left hand.
- With your right hand, gently grab a small piece of rice and roll it softly on your palm to make a small rice ball. Make sure you don’t push too hard, otherwise the rice will really stick to your hand.
- If you want, put a dab of wasabi directly on the fish.
- Place the rice ball onto the fish, flip it over, press it very softly, turn it over again, and give it one final press to shape it.
Waste Not, Want Not: Namero and Miso Soup
I never let good fish go to waste! The leftover heads and bones are perfect for making a fish stock. Just simmer them with sake, salt, and kelp on low heat for 10 minutes, take the bones out, and add vegetables and miso to make miso soup (I made spinach miso soup!).
For the leftover little pieces of sashimi, I made Namero, a traditional Japanese home-cooked fish tart.
- Chop up the leftover sashimi.
- Mix the chopped fish with miso, a little bit of soy sauce, scallions, and fresh ginger.
Namero Sushi Rolls If you have leftover sushi rice, you can use your Namero to make sushi rolls.
- Lay a whole sheet of nori on a bamboo roll with the rough side facing up.
- Gently spread the rice over the nori without pressing too strong.
- Add shiso leaves and spoon the Namero into the center.
- Roll it up twice, then cut the roll into 8 bite-sized pieces by cutting it in half, then half again to make quarters, and then another half.
And that’s it! A beautiful sushi plate featuring saba and ai nigiri, Namero sushi rolls, extra Namero on the side, and a warm bowl of spinach miso soup to enjoy with the family for dinner.
Thanks for watching, and see you next time!