Kasu Black Cod

Mmmm, I bought this cod pre-marinated at Whole Foods, as I didn't want to do the elaborate preparations myself. Anyhoo, I had tasted a little sample at Whole Foods, a version that was steamed for 15 minutes, and it tasted scrumptious! So, I bought two uncooked flanks to prepare at home!


The ingredients for the marinade is as such: Sake Lees, Salt, Sugar. If you have no clue what Sake Lees is (like me) here is a good description from www.uwajimaya.com. I decided to steam one flank and to grill the other, just to see how they would turn out, and just to make things more fun.


This one was steamed in the oven while wrapped in foil for about 15-20 minutes. The juices infused into a light snappy flavor. It was tart and buttery with a strong yet not overpowering sake quality.


It almost had a little vinegary aspect to it, and somewhat lemony, although none was added.


The grilled version here was grilled for about 15 minutes exactly. I took it out just in time, with just the right amount of goldenness to it. The texture was great and the same flavors came through although this version seemed heavier. It was more buttery within the center and while the steamed one was sitting in liquid, this one absorbed it all. It was very rich therefore. Quite tasty indeed!


I can't say which one was my favorite. I ate them both at the same time, and had nothing left over as it was so good. I enjoyed the steamed version for it's lightness and fresh unaltered texture of the flesh, and I enjoyed the grilled one for it's pleasant crispiness and richness.

If you are in the mood for something on the light refreshing side, I recommend steaming. I can see the steamed one paired with a nice salad of fresh daikon sprouts and lemon juice dressing, something fresh and japanese.

If you are in the mood for a hearty comfort meal, I would go with the grilled version. This would go wonderfully with maybe a cooked daikon root, or even something potato-ish. It would probably go well with a mixed green salad as well.

This meal gets 5 stars (out of 5).