Rice in Overnight-dried Mackerel (いちやぼし) Miso Soup

In recent years, overnight dried fish (ichiyaboshi) has become increasingly popular, but it actually has a long history.

What is Overnight-dried Fish?

Overnight Dried Fish “Ichiyaboshi” (いちやぼし) originated in the Hokkaido region of Japan. Before the advent of widespread freezing technology, Japanese fishermen developed this method of salting and drying fish to preserve their catch. The process involves gutting and cleaning fresh fish, then soaking them in a saltwater solution similar in salinity to seawater. The fish are then air-dried overnight, resulting in the distinctive flavour of ichiyaboshi.

Drying the fish overnight creates a semi-dried state that enhances the texture, making the fish meat thicker and more elastic, while intensifying its flavour. Unlike Chinese salted fish, ichiyaboshi is not overly salty, making it perfect for grilling over charcoal or baking, where its nuanced flavours are brought out best.

This time, I used every part of the overnight-dried fish to create a variation of a dish. Because ichiyaboshi has a strong fish taste, using its fish bones to make miso soup imparts a particularly sweet and fragrant taste. Paired with tender fish meat and flavourful Japanese pearl rice, this dish is perfect for summer.

BIGBOY TIPS✨

📌For kelp, you can use dried kelp and soak it in water for 2 hours before cooking to soften it.

📌When flaking the fish meat, watch out for small bones. However, since ichiyaboshi is pre-processed, it’s generally not difficult to handle.

📌White miso vs. red miso: Red miso is stronger in flavor, while white miso is less salty and has a slight sweetness. Since ichiyaboshi is slightly salty, it’s recommended to use white miso for the soup to achieve the right balance of flavor.

Ingredients (serve 2-3)

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Overnight-dried Fish	1 whole
White Miso	1 tbsp
Japanese Leek (Sliced)	½ stick
Kelp	1 slice
Ginger (Sliced)	3 slices
Dried Nori	to garnish
Hot Water	700 ml
Japanese Rice	300g

Steps

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1. First, cook the rice in a rice cooker and set aside.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and cook the ichiyaboshi (overnight dried fish) until both sides are golden brown.

3. After cooking the ichiyaboshi (overnight dried fish) until golden brown, remove the meat from the bones, and set aside the fish bones.

4. Continue using the same pan in which you cooked the fish. Add ginger slices, fish bones, and leek, sauté briefly.

5. Add hot water to cover the ingredients, then add the kelp and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add white miso and cook until the miso is fully dissolved into the broth. Then strain and set aside.

7. Spoon some rice into a bowl, pour the miso soup at the side, and then add the shredded fish flesh and nori on top.