Grilled Pacific Saury Seasoned with Salt

Prepare the sanma: Scale and gut the fish, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels. Make 2-3 shallow diagonal incisions on each side of the fish.

Season the fish: Sprinkle salt generously over both sides of the sanma, paying extra attention to the incisions. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to draw out moisture.

Preheat your grill or broiler to high heat, aiming for approximately 200-230°C. If using a grill pan, heat it until it is smoking lightly.

Grill the first side: Place the sanma on the hot grill. Grill for 7-10 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown, crispy, and shows distinct char marks.

Grill the second side: Carefully flip the fish using a spatula. Grill the other side for another 5-8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flaky.

Prepare accompaniments: While the fish is grilling, peel and grate the daikon radish. Lightly squeeze out any excess water from the grated daikon. Slice the lemon into wedges.

Serve: Arrange the perfectly grilled sanma on a plate. Serve immediately with the mound of grated daikon, a wedge of lemon, and optionally a small bowl of soy sauce mixed with grated ginger for dipping.