In summer, Mutaguchi likes to keep things light and fresh, using citrus fruits like yuzu to add a nice sourness to dishes.
Flour and oil for frying 2 carrots, sliced thinly 2 green onions, sliced thinly
If you’re a bit intimidated by making Japanese food at home, don’t be. Here’s Mutaguchi’s recipe for a traditional home-cooked dish popular in Japan, marinated fried fish with veggies!
1. Combine mirin, sugar, soy sauce, water, lemon, and half a medium onion in a large pot.
Nanbanzuke
(fried fish in vinegar sauce) Serves 3-4
Tomoya Mutaguchi, owner and chef of Japanese tapas bar Izakaya Tomo in Edmonton, wanted to recreate his relished dining experiences in Japan at izakaya (thus the name), also known as sake houses.
2 mackerel fillets (or your choice of favourite fish) 1/3 cup + 4 tsp (100 mL) mirin (Japanese rice wine) 100 g sugar 2 cups (500 mL) soy sauce 3 L water ½ lemon ½ medium onion Salt
Izakaya are cozy informal pubs that are pretty much everywhere in Japan, and serve as a spot for the after-work crowd to wind down with some sake and small plates to share; Mutaguchi classifies izakaya as “a type of rest.” Especially in Alberta, Mutaguchi says there aren’t many izakaya around, and he hoped to get people excited about other types of Japanese cuisine beyond popular dishes, like ramen and sushi. “I want to let customers know Japanese food isn’t only sushi, teriyaki, and rolls,” he says. “Typical traditional foods are any kind of vegetable, meat or fish simmered in broth until there’s almost no liquid left. Very simple to make, with a very nice taste.” Broths and sauces are the crux of most dishes, and incorporate a variation of just a few simple ingredients – the sweet, tangy teriyaki sauce we all know and love is just sugar, salt, soy sauce, sweet sake, and mirin (rice wine). 12 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019
2. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat. 3. Sprinkle fish with salt, and remove excess
moisture with a paper towel.
4. Cut fish fillets into bite-sized pieces. Cover in flour and deep fry until crispy (if you don’t have a deep fryer, you can also pan fry fish in oil). 5. While still hot, add fish to the marinade
until fully coated. Add carrots and green onion, and marinate overnight.
6. Serve cold or at room temperature.