I absolutely love the grilled mackerel rice sold at 7-Eleven in Japan. So, I thought, “If I could make mackerel rice at home, I’d be so excited!” With that in mind, I decided to make it myself.
I made a broth using dried sardines (niboshi), but if you can’t find them, you can substitute fish stock or dashi powder. For the mackerel, I used boneless salted mackerel for convenience, but if that’s not available, you can use mackerel in brine or fresh mackerel fillet with a little added salt.
My husband enjoyed this dish without pickled plum (umeboshi) and shiso leaves, and he still loved it! So don’t worry if you can’t find every ingredient—just use what’s available to you.
When I opened the lid of my clay pot, a cloud of steam rose up, filling the air with an amazing aroma. It was such a comforting and satisfying moment! (You can also make with rice cooker!)
Ingredients
| Rice | 2 cups (10.6 oz / 300 g) |
| Dried sardines (for broth)(Alternatively, use 1 tsp powdered dashi) | 15g (0.5 oz) |
| Soy sauce (Kikkoman) | 1 tbsp |
| Mirin (Kikkoman) | 1 tbsp |
| Sake(Mizkan)(white wine works too) | 1 tbsp |
| Shiso leaves | 5 leaves |
| Boneless salted mackerel | 2 fillets |
| Pickled plum (umeboshi) | 1 – 2 pieces |
| Sesame oil | 1 tbsp |
(*I listed the brands I used in parentheses, but any brand will work.)
How to Make
(Excluding soaking & cooking time)
1⃣ 【Make the Broth】Soak 15 g (0.5 oz) of dried sardines in 400 ml (13.5 fl oz) of water for 30 minutes.
After soaking, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Strain out the sardines. (Skip this step if using powdered dashi.)
2⃣ Wash the rice thoroughly and drain well.
Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, and the prepared sardine broth to the rice, filling up to the appropriate water level. (If there isn’t enough liquid, add water to reach the mark.)
3⃣ Thinly slice the shiso leaves for garnish.
4⃣ Heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a pan over medium heat.
Grill the salted mackerel for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.
5⃣ Place the grilled mackerel on top of the rice and cook as you normally would.(Rice cooker is fine too!)
6⃣ Once cooked, gently mix the rice and mackerel together.
Top with pickled plum (umeboshi) and shiso leaves before serving.
I prefer using a clay pot instead of a rice cooker because it’s much easier to clean—just a simple rinse and it’s good to go! Rice cookers can be a hassle to clean with all their detachable parts.
For rice, I always choose Milky Queen, a Japanese rice variety known for its chewy and moist texture. Back in my university days, I did a taste test to find the best rice, and Milky Queen was my top pick! Many people say rice should be soaked before cooking, but Milky Queen turns out perfectly soft and fluffy even without soaking.
If it looks delicious, feel free to share it on Twitter/X! And if you try making it, I’d be even happier if you tag me in your post!
