HAMACHI

This delicious fish has been used in all kinds of Japanese dishes for centuries. The boom in sushi restaurants across the world has only widened its appeal, allowing more people to enjoy its tempting flavors. Here are some of the most commonly-found Hamachi dishes:

Hamachi maki

Maki rolls are a familiar sight to us all, whether we’ve been eating sushi for years or have simply passed it in the supermarket. Usually wrapped in dried seaweed leaves (nori), or soy leaves (mamenori), maki rolls take small pieces of Hamachi and pair them with vegetables like spring onions and cucumber. Of course, this being sushi, there’s also vinegared rice included in this neat little package.

On the side, you’ll probably find both wasabi and sushi soy sauce, and maybe some pickled sushi ginger to cleanse your palate between different sushi dishes.

Our Hamachi maki has Tobikko Yuzu and Shiso leaf on top.

Hamachi nigiri 

Sushi purists often favor nigiri sushi. They find it allows them to focus solely on the flavors, textures and aromas of the seafood (or meat), which is thinly sliced and placed on a neatly-pressed ball of rice.

This visually appealing form of Hamachi sushi is a time-honored way of serving Japanese amberjack. Nigiri sushi is sometimes known as “edomae” sushi, which takes its name from Edo, the former name of Tokyo. This type of sushi was born in the second half of the 19th century and has remained a staple in sushi restaurants ever since.

Hamachi sashimi

It’s not actually sushi at all, but sashimi is often confused with sushi. There’s no sushi rice anywhere, but the cuts of raw seafood/meat used are similar in their precision and quality. And with sashimi, it’s all about those cuts. Not only is there no rice, but there are also no other ingredients at all.

Sashimi is simply a thin, elegant slice of raw meat or seafood, with only wasabi and/or soy sauce on the side. Because of its extremely high quality, Japanese amberjack is a common choice for sashimi dishes.

Hamachi donburi 

Donburi isn’t sushi either, but donburi dishes are another popular destination for Hamachi fish. The Hamachi is cooked alongside various vegetables and served on top of rice. 

Vegetables like spring onions, eggs, cabbage, and radishes often feature in a donburi. They sometimes include sauces made from mixing a stock called dashi with soy sauce and mirin rice wine. Since donburi is usually a casual meal of convenience, leftovers are often used.

Donburi is a hearty way to enjoy the rich, buttery taste of Hamachi.

But as we’ve discovered, Hamachi is a delightfully versatile fish, which can be enjoyed in any number of recipes, including as a sushi dish. Although it goes by various names, lovers of seafood and sushi everywhere will make sure Hamachi remains popular.