Fried Koji-marinated Cod

Kouji zuke shita tara no furai

Difficulty

Ingredients (Serves 4): 4 slices fresh cod
2 tbsp Shio-koji for marinating cod
Flour, beaten eggs, and panko for deep frying Oil for deep frying

Akita-style tartar sauce:
50 g iburigakko (smoked pickled radish)
30 g hirokko (spring onion)
2 boiled eggs
1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
Juice of one lemon
Shichimi spice mix
80 g mayonnaise
2 tsp shio-koji

Directions

1. Blot off the moisture from the surface of the cod with a paper towel, then cover the entire surface of the cod with shio-koji.

2. Put the cod into a zipper-topped storage bag and let rest overnight in the refrigerator. Try to get as much air out of the bag as possible, in order to ensure that the shio-koji is kept in contact with the cod.

3. The next day, take the cod out of the refrigerator and use a paper towel to thoroughly wipe off the moisture and shio-koji from its surface.

4. Dredge the cod in flour, then dip it in beaten egg and finally bread crumbs to bread it. Oil your frying pan with a bit more oil than usual and heat it to 180°C, then add the cod and fry on both sides until crispy.

5. To make the tartar sauce: Finely chop the peeled iburigakko, hirokko, and boiled eggs.

6. Put them into a bowl along with the shio-koji, sesame seeds, shichimi spice mix, lemon juice, and mayonnaise, and mix.

7. Serve the fried cod with the tartar sauce.