Both Yellow Tail (Buri) and Japanese Radish (Daikon) are seasonal food in winter. This “Buri Daikon” is a popular dish in winter and is made at home well. As same as other Japanese Nimono (Simmered foods), it is cooked without any oil. But Yellwo Tail in cold winter has many fat, so we can enjoy the taste of fat which original ingredient has.
At this time, I used head part of Yellow Tail which is called “Ara” in Japanese. Of course, it has not so many meat, but has more fat and make the taste better. Many people like Ara for Buri Daikon, so we can find and buy only Ara of Buri at fish store or supermarket.
The important thing is to clean up Ara well before cooking if you cook something with it. Because it has many blood clot and it will make the taste worse and has bad smell.
Ingredients:
- 650g Yellow Tail “Ara”
- 350g Japanese Radish (Daikon)
- 35g Ginger
- 1L Water (about)
- 100ml Cooking Sake
- 3 table spoon Sugar
- 2 table spoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 4 table spoon Soy Sauce
How to make:
1) Sprinkle some salt onto Yellow Tail and leave it for about 10 min. Boil Yellow Tail in boiled water until the surface becomes white. (Not boil longer)
2) Put Yellow Tail in a cold water and clean up well. Remove the blood clot, scales and dust.
3) Peel Japanese Radish’s skin and cut about 3cm width. Then cut it in a half. Make every pieces as almost same size. Slice Ginger about 4 or 5mm width
4) Place Japanese Radish in a pan and then place Yellow tail and sliced Ginger on the Japanese Radish. Pour water until ingredients are almost soak in water. (Don’t soak them completely)
5) Heat the pan on strong heat. Once it boiled, turn to middle heat and remove lye. If there are no lye, place smaller lid (Otoshibuta) and boil it for about 15 min. If Japanese radish becomes enough soft, it is OK. You can use something like bamboo skew to check if it is soft.
6) Sprinkle Sugar and pour mirin, then place smaller lid. Boil it for about 5 min.
7) Pour 4 table spoon soy sauce and place smaller lid, and boil it for about 5 min. more.
I added Sugar and Mirin before Soy sauce. This is the basic rule of Japanese cooking method. Condiments to add sweetness should be added before other like Salt, Soy Sauce, Vinegar or Miso.
It seems to be a local specialty food in Toyama prefecture however I have not known. It’s very popular nation wide. But if considering a little bit, it is very reasonable because Yellow Tail around Toayama is very famous and especially ones called “Kan Buri” is very delicious and very expensive.
I didn’t use Kan Buri at this time, but it is enough delicious for me.
Buri Daikon is one of the most enjoyable food in cold winter.
Enjoy meal!