The fish is fried and cooked in a sweet soy-based broth with lots of grated daikon (white radish). You will find that the combination of fried fish and the sauce with daikon is wonderful. You can cook with other fish fillets suited to deep frying.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 50g / 1.8oz dried buckwheat noodles
- 1 mid-size whole flounder (about 700g / 1.5lb, note 1)
- 1 tbsp flour
- 150-180g / 5.3-6.3oz daikon (white radish) finely grated, excess water drained (note 2)
- Oil to shallow fry fish
- 300ml / 0.6pt dashi stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2-3 tbsp shallots finely chopped
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If the flounder is not cleaned, remove the guts and scales. Cut the head and the tail off and discard. Cut the flounder in half, perpendicular to the backbone (note 3).
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Make a cross incision on the right side of the fish (brown side) where the flesh is the thickest (see the photo in post). If you are using narrow strips of flounder cutlet, incision is not required.
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Boil buckwheat noodles as per the instructions on the packet. Drain and rinse well under running water to remove the sliminess and to let the noodles cool down (note 4). Drain and put aside.
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Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. The amount of the oil should be enough to cover slightly more than the half thickness of the fish piece.
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Pat dry the fish pieces with paper towel, sprinkle the flour over the fish and dust both sides of the fish pieces with flour. In the case of the head side of the fish piece, dust the cavity of the belly with the flour as well.
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Place the fish in the oil, dark skin side down. Shake the pan so that the fish does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
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Cook for 2.5 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the fish over and cook further 1.5 minutes. Remove the fish pieces and place onto the paper towel to drain excess oil.
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In a frying pan or a shallow pot large enough to place the fish pieces side by side, add the Simmering Sauce ingredients and bring it to a boil.
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Place the fried fish pieces in the sauce without overlapping. Cook for 30 seconds, then spread the grated daikon over and cook for about 30 seconds to bring the sauce to a boil again. Daikon does not have to be all submerged into the sauce. Turn the heat off.
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Place fish onto a plate using the spatula. Scoop the sauce with as much daikon as possible with a spoon and pour it over the fish.
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Place the noodles on the side and sprinkle shallots over the fish.
1. If your flounder is very small, you can use two whole flounder. You can also use narrow strips of large flounder.
You can use other fish fillets that are good for frying. Please see the post for suggested alternatives.
2. Depending on the amount of water in the daikon, the quantity of daikon after the water is drained might vary. It does not matter much but too much water in daikon makes the sauce thin.
3. My halved fish pieces were about 270g / 0.6lb each.
4. It is important to wash cooked noodles under running water to remove the starch around the noodles. The noodles are also tightened up under cold water, which gives a good texture when you munch. It is a kind of al dente in pasta terms.