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Sado (Japanese Salt-Grilled Fish)
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Sado, or 'shio-yaki', is a classic Japanese technique of lightly salting fish and grilling it until the skin is crisp and golden. Simple, elegant, and deeply satisfying — the salt draws out moisture and concentrates the natural flavour of the fish beautifully. Served with steamed rice and a wedge of lemon, it's an effortlessly clean and delicious meal.
Cooking Ability Level
Prep
20 mins
Cook
20 mins
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Budget
Reasonable
Calories
420
Ingredients
- 2 whole small fish (such as mackerel, sea bream, or trout), gutted and cleaned
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 200g (1 cup) short-grain or jasmine rice
- 400ml (1⅔ cups) water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, to serve
- 1 tsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar), to serve
1. Pat the fish completely dry inside and out with kitchen paper. Score the skin 2–3 times on each side with a sharp knife — this helps heat penetrate and prevents the skin from curling.
2. Sprinkle the salt evenly all over the fish, including inside the cavity. Be generous — this is the only seasoning. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the salt to draw out moisture and season the flesh deeply. Pat dry again before cooking.
3. For the rice: rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Place in a small saucepan with 400ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to steam, lid on, for a further 5 minutes.
4. For the fish: heat a grill pan, cast iron pan, or your oven grill (broiler) to high. Brush the fish lightly with vegetable oil. If using a grill pan, place fish in and cook for 5–7 minutes per side without moving them, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the flesh flakes easily. If using the oven grill, place fish on a foil-lined tray and grill on the highest rack for 6–8 minutes per side.
5. Stir together the soy sauce and vinegar in a small dipping dish.
6. Serve the fish immediately alongside the steamed rice, with lemon wedges for squeezing and the soy dipping sauce on the side.
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Nutrition per Serving
420
Calories
38g
Protein
42g
Carbs
10g
Fat