Kinmedai Nitsuke (Braised Alfonsino) キンメダイ煮付け

My family loves fish. My son was still 2 years old when he accidentally ate a fishbone and knew how to separate it from the fish inside his mouth. And it was a piece of cake for him. Now my daughter who’s 2 years old enjoys eating fish, and sometimes my husband and I can’t have any share. Today I share one of the traditional Japanese fish dishes.

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.

SaveSaved Pin Print

4.77 from 26 votes

Kinmedai Nitsuke (Braised Alfonsino)

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Kinmedai Nitsuke (Braised Alfonsino) is a classic Japanese fish dish gently simmered in a flavorful sauce made of soy sauce, sake, mirin, and ginger.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ½ lb kinmedai (alfonsino) (fillet, rinsed under cold water and patted dry with paper towels)

For the Seasonings

• ⅓ cup sake
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 slices ginger

Instructions

To Blanch the Kinmedai

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil enough water to just cover the kinmedai.
• Once boiling, place ½ lb kinmedai (alfonsino) in the boiling water. Remember, you do not need to cook the fish here.
• As soon as the fish’s surface becomes white, remove it from the pan and run under cold water. Pat dry the fish with a paper towel. Discard the cooking water and quickly rinse the saucepan.

To Simmer the Kinmedai

• In the same saucepan, combine ⅓ cup sake, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low. Then, add the fish and 2 slices ginger. Place an otoshibuta (a drop lid) on top of the fish and simmer for 7–8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish). 
• Stay around the kitchen to make sure the sauce doesn‘t evaporate too fast. Add a little bit of water if the sauce is low. Spoon the sauce over the fish a few times.
• Carefully lift the fish onto a serving plate and spoon some of the sauce over the fish. Enjoy!

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 539mg, Potassium: 351mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg