Salt-grilled sea bream, court banquet style
A whole sea bream sprinkled with salt and grilled, proudly presented as at the feasts of the imperial court. Delicate flesh, golden and crispy skin: the dish of Heian splendor.
A whole sea bream sprinkled with salt and grilled, proudly presented as at the feasts of the imperial court. Delicate flesh, golden and crispy skin: the dish of Heian splendor.
They pressed me to marry, you know, and the lords set out tables such as I had never seen beneath the thatch. See this fish: it is skewered whole, powdered with salt like fine snow, and turned over the embers without haste, so that the skin sings under the tooth. Its robe is red — a color the court deemed auspicious. I tasted, I smiled, and already my gaze rose toward the Moon; but no dish, I confess, was more beautiful set forth than this one.
- •Whole sea bream (tai), gutted and scaled — one (centerpiece of the banquet)
- •Sea salt — generously (seasoning and crust)
- •Rice sake (to serve alongside) — one cup (noble accompaniment drink)
Salt-grilled sea bream, court banquet style
A whole sea bream sprinkled with salt and grilled, proudly presented as at the feasts of the imperial court. Delicate flesh, golden and crispy skin: the dish of Heian splendor.
Why this dish? Having become dazzlingly beautiful, Kaguya-hime was courted by five great lords and by the Emperor himself. At the lavish banquets of the Heian-kyō court, where she was invited as a princess, the tai (royal sea bream) reigned supreme: a prestige fish, its red color auguring happiness.
They pressed me to marry, you know, and the lords set out tables such as I had never seen beneath the thatch. See this fish: it is skewered whole, powdered with salt like fine snow, and turned over the embers without haste, so that the skin sings under the tooth. Its robe is red — a color the court deemed auspicious. I tasted, I smiled, and already my gaze rose toward the Moon; but no dish, I confess, was more beautiful set forth than this one.
Ingredients (period version)
- Whole sea bream (tai), gutted and scaled — one (centerpiece of the banquet)
- Sea salt — generously (seasoning and crust)
- Rice sake (to serve alongside) — one cup (noble accompaniment drink)
Ingredients
- Whole sea bream (or gilt-head bream) — 1 (about 600 g) (centerpiece)
- Coarse sea salt — 2 tbsp (crust and seasoning)
- Cooking sake — 1 tbsp (to brush before cooking)
- Sudachi or lemon wedges — 2 (acidity at serving (optional))
Method
- Gut, scale, and dry the fish, then make two diagonal slashes on each side.
- Brush lightly with sake, then sprinkle generously with salt all over, pressing a little salt onto the tail and fins (they will not burn).
- Grill in the oven (210 °C) or over coals, skin side up first, 10 to 12 minutes per side until the flesh flakes.
- Present the fish whole, head to the left according to Japanese custom, on a simple platter.
- Serve with a sour citrus wedge on the side.
How it was made : At Heian banquets (daikyō), dishes were presented raw, dried, or simply grilled and salted: seasonings (salt, vinegar, hishio) were set aside, each guest seasoning their own portion. The tai, with its auspicious red color, remained the prestige fish par excellence.
The contemporary twist : A strict 'head-to-left' serving and a fine line of salt tracing a crescent on the platter, homage to the Moon Princess.
Kaguya-hime · Charactorium
