shioyaki

 Japanese salt-grilled pompano, shioyaki, is one of those dishes where the method is so simple that the character of the fish becomes the center of the meal. 

Start by rinsing the pompano and drying it carefully, then make a couple of gentle diagonal cuts across each side. These shallow openings help the heat enter evenly and let the salt season the flesh. Coat the fish inside and out with coarse salt and let it rest for twenty to thirty minutes. This short waiting time pulls a bit of moisture to the surface, firms the flesh, and gives you that clean, focused flavor that makes shioyaki so satisfying. Before it goes into the oven, pat the fish dry again so the skin can crisp.

Heat the oven to a high temperature, about four hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and place the fish on a lightly oiled rack or tray. At this heat the pompano cooks quickly, usually in fifteen to twenty minutes, and the transformation is obvious when the fins darken slightly and the skin becomes crisp while the interior stays tender. Some people turn the fish halfway through, some leave it untouched, and both are fine. The key is to keep it simple.

When the fish comes out of the oven, serve it immediately with a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of grated daikon touched with soy sauce. Nothing heavy is needed, because the whole point of shioyaki is the clarity of the fish itself. This style rewards attention to small steps, a little patience, and the quiet satisfaction of good, honest cooking.