Tai Meshi (Sea Bream Rice)
A profoundly elegant, celebratory rice dish often served at Japanese weddings and New Year's feasts. A whole Red Sea Bream (Tai) is cooked directly on top of the rice in a clay pot, infusing every grain with delicate, pristine seafood umami.
- 2 cups Short-grain white rice washed and drained
- 1 small Whole Sea Bream Tai, cleaned and scaled (or 2 bone-in fillets)
- 2 cups Dashi stock
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce Usukuchi
- 2 tbsp Sake
- 1 tbsp Mirin
- 1 piece Kombu dried kelp, 2x2 inches
- 1 Green onion finely chopped
Prepare the Fish: Ensure the fish is thoroughly cleaned and descaled. Generously salt both sides of the fish and let it sit for 20 minutes. Pat it completely dry. Quickly grill or broil the fish for 3-4 minutes per side until the skin is beautifully charred (the center can remain raw). This adds immense smoky flavor to the rice.
Prepare the Rice: Place the washed, drained rice into a Donabe (clay pot) or rice cooker. Add the Dashi stock, light soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Stir gently. Place the piece of Kombu kelp directly on top of the rice.
Add the Fish: Lay the grilled Sea Bream carefully on top of the Kombu and the rice.
Cook: Cover the pot. If using a clay pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to the lowest heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam, completely undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
Fluff and Serve: Remove the lid. Carefully take the fish out, remove and discard all the bones and the head, and flake the sweet white meat. Return the flaked meat to the pot, discard the Kombu, and use a rice paddle to gently fold the fish into the aromatic rice. Garnish with green onions.
Keyword Celebration, Rice, sea bream, Seafood, Traditional