Entree: Japan – Shikoku – 宇和島鯛めし ➤ Uwajima Tai-meshi (Sea bream cooked with seasoned dashi and rice in a one-pot coastal rice dish)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Additional
10 min
Total
35 min
Ingredients
- 2 cups (360 g) Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) dashi stock
- 1 whole sea bream (tai), about 1.5 lb (680 g), filleted (approx. 1 lb / 450 g usable fillets)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) mirin
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sake
- 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
- 1 small piece kombu (optional), about 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil or neutral oil for brushing fish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1.5 oz / 45 g)
- 1 small yuzu or sudachi, halved (or 1/2 lemon)
- Fresh mitsuba or chopped shiso leaves for garnish
- Pickled ginger or tsukemono for serving (optional)
Instructions
1. Rinse and soak rice: rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Drain and soak in 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) dashi for 30 minutes, then drain dashi into a measuring cup and reserve.
2. Prepare the fish: pat fillets dry and brush lightly with sesame oil. If you prefer, score the skin lightly. Season fillets with a pinch of salt.
3. Make seasoned broth: combine reserved dashi with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.
4. Assemble and cook: place drained rice in a heavy-bottomed pot or rice cooker. Lay the fillets on top of the rice, skin side up, and pour the seasoned dashi over everything. Tuck the kombu on the side if using.
5. Cook rice with fish: cover and cook on low heat for 12–15 minutes (or follow rice cooker’s regular white rice setting). After cooking, turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
6. Finish and flake: remove fish fillets, discard skin and bones, and flake the flesh into large pieces. Gently fold the flaked fish and half the sliced scallions into the rice to distribute evenly.
7. Serve: transfer to bowls, top with remaining scallions, mitsuba or shiso, and a squeeze of yuzu or sudachi. Serve immediately with pickles on the side.
