Noodles and Rice

Aji- Japanese Horse Mackerel

by Tom on May 24th, 2008

These little guys are called Aji in Japanese or Horse Mackerel in English.  They are sold in a range of sizes from these ones (about 2 inches) up to about a foot long as adults.  They are one of the all time most popular Japanese whole fish and they are readily available and cheap.  They have a deliciously oily flesh (think omega 3 and all the good stuff) and are very simple to cook.  I cleaned, headed and fried these and we ate the fins, tail and bones.  As they get larger you have to avoid the bones but obviously there is more meat to enjoy.  The only trick is to remove the row of pointed scales along the outside side of the tail and running towards the head.  Slicing these off before they are cooked makes the skin more pleasant to eat and stops you from getting prickled.

Aji of any size is a particularly good fish to grill because it’s oily flesh doesn’t dry out quickly and it is quite thin so it cooks quickly.  What would you call this fish in your country?  I just discovered that it is technically Trachurus japonicus so maybe it is only a Japanese species?  Any ideas?

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POSTED IN: Ingredient Spotlight, Japanese, Seafood Dishes : Asian