Hamachi Crudo

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients for the pickle brine and vegetables.
2. In a medium bowl, add the 2 tsp sweet chili sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), and ½ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) for the pickle brine. Then, add the juice of ½ lime into the bowl and mix it well together.
3. Cut ½ red onion lengthwise into very thin slices. You can also use a mandoline slicer (I love my mandoline slicer). Tip: I learned from the chef that when you start slicing the onion from the edge, slice it at an angle (left photo) so the first few slices don't have thick edges.
4. Cut ½ Persian cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove and discard the cucumber seeds. Then, cut the cucumber lengthwise into very thin slabs and then thin julienned strips.
5. Cut ½ jalapeño pepper lengthwise into very thin slabs and then thinly julienned strips. You may want to wear a glove for this step to avoid irritation to your skin and eyes (optional). Tip: For less heat, first quarter the pepper lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds before cutting it into strips.
6. Add the three vegetables you've just cut to the pickle brine in the bowl. Then, toss the vegetables in the sauce to coat them well. Set the vegetables aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Tip: You can make this ahead of time; prepare and refrigerate up to 24 hours in advance.
7. Gather ½ lb sashimi-grade yellowtail (hamachi) and dressing ingredients.
8. In a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp non-oil aojiso dressing (or ponzu substitute), 5 tsp ponzu, 2 Tbsp water, 2 tsp sugar, 1 clove garlic, and 3 Tbsp neutral oil for the hamachi dressing and whisk all together.
9. If your sashimi-grade hamachi fillet has skin, remove it (see this video). Using a sharp knife, cut the fillet against the grain into thin slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
10. Gather all the ingredients for the toppings.
11. Lay the hamachi slices, overlapping them slightly on one corner, across a serving plate. Lightly sprinkle the hamachi with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. This draws out moisture from the fish, which results in more concentrated flavors. Spoon some of the hamachi dressing on the center of each slice, leaving some parts of the sashimi undressed with the sauce.
12. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of crushed fried garlic chips on top of the hamachi slices. If using the golden mustard (optional), add a small dollop of Golden Mustard to each slice. Mound a spoonful of the pickled vegetables on top of the hamachi at the center of the plate. Finally, garnish with 1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro (coriander) and 1 slice lime. The Hamachi Crudo is ready to serve.
13. Store any leftover pickled vegetables and hamachi dressing in separate containers. Refrigerate the vegetables for up to 1–2 days and the dressing for up to 3–4 days. It's best to consume raw yellowtail as soon as possible while it's fresh; if you have any leftover, use it in other recipes like Yellowtail Roll (Negihama Maki), Mosaic Sushi, or Miso-Marinated Hamachi Bowl.