Aji no Nanbanzuke (Marinated Fried Horse Mackerel)
This is an authentic Nanbanzuke dish where small horse mackerel are fried slowly in low-temperature oil—either whole or butterflied—to make the bones soft and tender. The crispy fried fish is marinated in a sweet and tangy special 'Nanban' vinegar sauce along with aromatic vegetables and lemon, resulting in a refreshing and deep flavor profile.
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🍳 Cooking Flow
Remove the gills and innards of the horse mackerel, wash in salted water, and pat dry → Lightly dust with flour and deep-fry slowly in low-temperature oil at 160°C → Bring the seasoning ingredients to a boil and let cool slightly to prepare the Nanban vinegar sauce → Marinate the freshly fried fish with sliced vegetables and chili peppers in the Nanban sauce for at least 2 hours → Plate and serve
Cooking Steps
Brief Cooking Order
Remove the gills and innards of the horse mackerel, wash in salted water, and pat dry → Lightly dust with flour and deep-fry slowly in low-temperature oil at 160°C → Bring the seasoning ingredients to a boil and let cool slightly to prepare the Nanban vinegar sauce → Marinate the freshly fried fish with sliced vegetables and chili peppers in the Nanban sauce for at least 2 hours → Plate and serve
Introduction
This is an authentic Nanbanzuke dish where small horse mackerel are fried slowly in low-temperature oil—either whole or butterflied—to make the bones soft and tender. The crispy fried fish is marinated in a sweet and tangy special 'Nanban' vinegar sauce along with aromatic vegetables and lemon, resulting in a refreshing and deep flavor profile.
Step 1
Prepare a light salted water bath and spread 3 tablespoons of flour on a tray.
Step 2
Do not remove the scutes (zengo) of the mackerel; for larger fish, butterfly them and remove the gills and innards. For smaller ones, leave them whole and remove the gills and innards.
Step 3
Carefully wash the prepared fish in the light salted water and pat them dry thoroughly.
Step 4
Evenly coat the entire fish with flour and shake off any excess. If the fish is whole, be sure to dust the inside of the belly as well.
Step 5
Place the fish into 160°C oil and fry slowly so that the heat penetrates to the bone.
Ingredients List
Important Notes
⚠️ You don't need to remove the bony scutes (zengo); deep-frying slowly at 160°C will soften them along with the bones so they are not noticeable.
💡 For larger horse mackerel, it is best to butterfly them so they cook through more easily.
🍳 Do not let the Nanban vinegar cool completely; keeping it warm while adding the freshly fried fish helps the flavors penetrate deeply.
⏱️ Marinating for at least 2 hours allows the flavor to soak all the way into the bones, making the dish delicious.
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