Nanban-Zuke (Southern Barbarian Pickle)
Oil for frying
1 medium onion, julienned
4 small dried chilies, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 cup Dashi
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon Mirin (sweet cooking sake)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 pound skinless fish fillet, such as Gulf redfish, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup potato or corn starch
Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep skillet to 350º degrees.
Place onion, chilies and carrots into a heatproof container large enough to hold all of the ingredients to be pickled.
Heat the Dashi, vinegar, sugar, salt, Mirin and soy. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar and salt.
Pour hot liquid over the vegetables mixture.
Toss fish into potato starch, shake off excess and fry in the hot oil until pale golden, about 4-6 minutes.
Add fried fish into the vegetable mixture. Allow to marinate a minimum of 3 hours. Serve at room temperature alone or over rice.
The dish will hold in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Kevin O’Brien, Private Chef
(917) 971-3396, chefkevin@chefkevin.com
Southern Food & Beverage Museum
1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 569-0405, NaFaB.org