Hamachi Crudo

User Reviews

4.8

51 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    20 mins

  • Total Time

    20 mins

  • Servings

    4

  • Calories

    143 kcal

  • Course

    Appetizer

  • Cuisine

    Japanese

Hamachi Crudo

Hamachi Crudo is a delicate Japanese appetizer made from raw yellowtail. Similar to sashimi, the fish is sliced thin and dressed in a bright ponzu and sweet chili sauce vinaigrette, topped with a quick-pickled red onion and cucumber garnish. Chef Takeo Moriyama of Kemuri Japanese Baru in Redwood City, California, generously shared this recipe for his popular Hamachi Crudo with JOC readers.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Pickle Brine

  • 2 tsp Sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
  • ½ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) (you can purchase it at Japanese grocery stores or on Amazon)
  • juice of ½ lime

For the Quick-Pickled Vegetables

  • ½ red onion
  • ½ Persian cucumber
  • ½ Jalapeno pepper

For the Hamachi Dressing

  • 1 Tbsp Sweet chili sauce
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp non-oil aojiso dressing (you can substitute 1 Tbsp of this dressing with ½ tsp of ponzu)
  • 5 tsp ponzu
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 Tbsp neutral oil

For the Hamachi

  • ½ lb sashimi-grade yellowtail (hamachi) (can substitute it with sashimi-grade amberjack (kanpachi), striped jack (shimaaji), or red snapper (tai))
  • tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Toppings

  • 1 Tbsp of crushed fried garlic chips (fry thinly sliced garlic (6–8 cloves) in ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral-flavored oil for 3 mins on medium-low heat; you can also purchase it on Amazon)
  • Golden Mustard (optional; you can buy it at Kemuri Japanese Baru or here)
  • 1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro (coriander)
  • 1 slice lime
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Instructions

To Make the Quick-Pickled Vegetables

  1. Gather all the ingredients for the pickle brine and vegetables.
  2. In a medium bowl, add the 2 tsp sweet chili sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), and ½ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) for the pickle brine. Then, add the juice of ½ lime into the bowl and mix it well together.
  3. Cut ½ red onion lengthwise into very thin slices. You can also use a mandoline slicer (I love my mandoline slicer). Tip: I learned from the chef that when you start slicing the onion from the edge, slice it at an angle (left photo) so the first few slices do not have thick edges.
  4. Cut ½ Persian cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove and discard the cucumber seeds. Then, cut the cucumber lengthwise into very thin slabs and then thin julienned strips.
  5. Cut ½ jalapeño pepper lengthwise into very thin slabs and then thin julienned strips. You may want to wear a glove for this step to avoid irritation to your skin and eyes (optional). Tip: For less heat, first quarter the pepper lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds before cutting it into strips.
  6. Add the three vegetables you‘ve just cut to the pickle brine in the bowl. Then, toss the vegetables in the sauce to coat them well. Set the vegetables aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Tip: You can make this ahead of time; prepare and refrigerate up to 24 hours in advance.

To Prepare the Hamachi and Dressing

  1. Gather ½ lb sashimi-grade yellowtail (hamachi) and dressing ingredients.
  2. In a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp non-oil aojiso dressing (or ponzu substitute), 5 tsp ponzu, 2 Tbsp water, 2 tsp sugar, 1 clove garlic, and 3 Tbsp neutral oil for the hamachi dressing and whisk all together.
  3. If your sashimi-grade hamachi fillet has skin, remove it (see this video). Using a sharp knife, cut the fillet against the grain into thin slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. 

To Plate and Serve

  1. Gather all the ingredients for the toppings.
  2. Lay the hamachi slices, overlapping them slightly on one corner, across a serving plate. Lightly sprinkle the hamachi with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. This draws out moisture from the fish, which results in more concentrated flavors. Spoon some of the hamachi dressing on the center of each slice, leaving some parts of the sashimi undressed with the sauce.
  3. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of crushed fried garlic chips on top of the hamachi slices. If using the golden mustard (optional), add a small dollop of Golden Mustard to each slice. Mound a spoonful of the pickled vegetables on top of the hamachi at the center of the plate. Finally, garnish with 1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro (coriander) and 1 slice lime. The Hamachi Crudo is ready to serve.

To Store

  1. Store any leftover pickled vegetables and hamachi dressing in separate containers. Refrigerate the vegetables for up to 1–2 days and the dressing for up to 3–4 days. It‘s best to consume raw yellowtail as soon as possible while it‘s fresh; if you have any leftover, use it in other recipes like Yellowtail Roll (Negihama Maki), Mosaic Sushi, or Miso-Marinated Hamachi Bowl.

Notes

  • Disclosure: This original recipe is created by Takeo Moriyama from Kemuri Japanese Baru in Redwood City, California. Ingredient substitutions were suggested by me, Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook.com

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 143kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0.04g Cholesterol 21mg (7%) Sodium 646mg (27%) Potassium 301mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 96IU (2%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 33mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 143 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 143kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.04g 2%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 646mg 27%
Potassium 301mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 96IU 2%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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4.8

51 reviews
Excellent

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