Shimaaji

Shimaaji is one of my all time favorite Japanese fish, very smooth in flavor and is best eaten raw.  If you must cook, do so on a coal hibachi or grill, dust with a little chili powder and salt.  Striped Horsemackerel and Striped Jack is part of the Aji/Horsemackerel-Saurel family.  Even though it is in the mackerel family the flavor is more delicate then the majority of its brothers and sisters.  There is a good amount of fat and is best eaten in the winter but is still a excellent fish in the summer.

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Turn your knife around and remove the ribs, slicing DOWN as close to the bones as possible

Always have a wet towel on hand while butchering

Remove the pin bones and slice in half After removing the pin bones slice the side n half down the blood line

Pull a corner of the skin away from the flesh, carefully remove the skin with your knife

Slice the fish at a slight angle, keeping your board and knife very clean

Mmmmm… soy, rice vinegar, scallion and shichimi togarashi

Cut the bones up and soak in ice water,that will help pull out any unwanted impurities cut the bones into pieces for stock

Head

Remove the collars and save for later

Remove the gills and discard

Cut the head in half, save for later

The innards sac covered in fat

Separate the fat and liver

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