Mackerel Teriyaki with Wasabi Mayo
Adding vinegar to the wasabi mayo gives the sauce a surprising kick. Wasabi mayo is just mayonnaise mixed with wasabi paste. They’re great together just like that. But to give the sauce a kick, I added rice vinegar. Not much. Just enough to thin out the sauce and make it pourable. Rice vinegar is mild and a bit sweet so, if you prefer something more tart, use lemon, lime or kalamansi juice. That should add punch to the kick.Very simple to make. The roasted nori and sesame seeds on top can be substituted with most store-bought furikake. The topping is not really essential but it does add flavor, texture and aroma.
Ingredients
- 4 mackerel steaks 1 to 1 ½ inches thick is ideal
For the teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup Japanese soy sauce
- ¼ cup sake
- ¼ cup mirin
For the wasabi mayo
- ½ cup Japanese mayo
- 1 tablespoon wasabi paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (totally optional)
Instructions
- Pat the mackerel steaks until the surface is free from moisture.
- Line a plate with several sheets of kitchen paper. Arrange the fish steaks on the plate, cover with more kitchen paper then weight down with another place. Leave to allow the kitchen paper to absorb more liquid.
- In a small sauce pan, heat all the ingredients for teriyaki sauce and boil gently until reduced by half.
- Pour into a shallow bowl and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the broiler to 400F and place a rack underneath about six inches from the heat.
- Put the mackerel steaks in the sauce. Flip over after 30 seconds. Repeat four to five times.
- Arrange the mackerel steaks on the heated rack and broil for five minutes. Flip and broil the underside for another three to four minutes.
- While the fish steaks broil, make the wasabi mayo by whisking together the Japanese mayo, wasabi paste and rice vinegar.
- To serve, place a teriyaki mackerel on top of rice and drizzle wasabi mayo over it. Optionally, top with roasted nori and toasted sesame seeds (or store-bought furikake) and serve immedietely.
Notes
There are several species of mackerel. These are Spanish mackerel steaks, dipped several times in reduced teriyaki sauce and broiled until the sugars in the sauce caremelized and the surface of the fish looked glossy. The mackerel teriyaki with wasabi mayo was served over rice.
