Bonito Tataki (Seared Bonito)

Method10 steps · about 20 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Keep the raw-consumption-suitable bonito cold until ready to sear. On a clean board, cut along both sides of the spine of each skin-on bonito side (2) and discard the spine strips. Remove any remaining pin bones. This gives four long skin-on fillet portions.

   Uses 2 skin-on bonito sides suitable for raw consumption, about 360 g total

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Lay the first prepared fillet skin-side down. Pass four thin metal skewers through it at equal intervals, fanning them out while bringing their handles together so you can hold the fish flat. Use metal skewers, about 35 cm long; bamboo will burn. If you prefer, use the author’s very-hot griddle or frying-pan option without skewers.

   Uses First of the four trimmed portions

3. 3

   Step 3: Sprinkle a little of the salt over the skin of this first fillet.

   Uses The same first supported fillet · A little of the salt for the first fillet skin

4. 4

   Step 4: Turn the gas burner to high. Hold the metal-skewer handles with heat protection and sear the skin over the flame, moving slowly from one end of the fillet to the other. Alternatively, press the skin against a very hot griddle or frying pan.

   Uses The same first salted fillet

5. 5

   Step 5: Continue until the entire skin is seared, with some lightly charred spots. Aim for browned and charred patches rather than blackening the whole skin.

   Uses The same first fillet

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn the fillet over and briefly sear the flesh surface just until it turns whitish. Tataki is intentionally raw in the centre; this is a surface-searing stage.

   Uses The same skin-seared fillet

7. 7

   Step 7: Immediately dip the entire seared fillet in the clean ice water for about fifteen seconds to cool it quickly. Lift it out, remove the skewers and pat thoroughly dry with clean kitchen paper, then place on a clean plate.

   Briefly cool the seared fillet in ice water · 1 minUses The same first seared fillet · Clean water with ice, enough to dip each entire seared fillet

8. 8

   Step 8: Repeat the skewering or hot-pan handling, light skin salting, skin charring and brief flesh-surface searing for each of the remaining three fillet portions. Cool each in clean ice water for about fifteen seconds and dry it well. Collect all four cooled, dried tataki fillets together, keeping them cold.

   Uses The remaining three unseared portions · The first cooled fillet, held on its clean plate · Remaining salt for the three fillet skins · Clean ice water for cooling the remaining fillets

   
9. 9

   Step 9: On a clean board, place each chilled tataki fillet skin-side up and slice about 1 cm thick. Wash and dry the optional shiso leaves and arrange them on a clean serving plate. Group the fish into clusters of three or four slices on top of the leaves if using.

   Uses All four prepared tataki fillets · Shiso leaves for optional garnish, as desired

10. 10

    Step 10: Wash and finely chop the scallions, peel and grate the ginger, and peel and thinly slice the optional garlic if wanted. Serve the chilled tataki promptly with ponzu in a separate dipping bowl and the prepared condiments alongside. The batch makes two main portions or four starter portions.

    Uses All plated tataki · Prepared ponzu (citrus-soy dipping sauce), as desired · Scallions, as desired; wash and finely chop in step 10 · Fresh ginger, as desired; peel and grate in step 10 · Garlic for an optional condiment, as desired