Blackthroat Seaperch Pot Rice

Bake the fish bones and head in the oven at 210°C (410°F) for 25-30 minutes.

Make shallow cuts on the fish fillets, brush with mirin, and season with salt.

Wash 2 cups of rice, drain, and let it soak for about 30 minutes.

Slice shiitake mushrooms and dice the white part of a green onion.

Microwave the sweet pumpkin for 3 minutes to soften it, then slice it thinly.

In a pot, add the baked fish bones, green onion, kombu, mushroom stems, and 1L of water. Boil vigorously for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, add a handful of katsuobushi (bonito flakes), and let it steep for at least 10 minutes. Strain the broth.

Prepare the sauce by mixing soy sauce, water, mirin, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and chopped scallions.

In a pot, add sesame oil and sauté the sliced shiitake mushrooms with a spoonful of soy sauce.

Add the soaked rice to the pot and stir-fry until the grains are well-coated with oil.

Pour in the prepared broth in a 1:1 ratio with the rice. Add the sliced sweet pumpkin and mix.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes.

While the rice cooks, use a torch to sear the skin side of the fish fillets until nicely browned.

Once the rice is cooked, open the lid and sprinkle the diced green onions over the top.

Place the torched fish fillets on top of the rice and sprinkle with ginkgo nuts.

Cover the pot again and let it steam on low heat for 15 minutes.

After steaming, finish by adding chopped scallions and a slice of butter on top. Cover for 3 more minutes to let the butter melt.

Mix everything gently and serve with the prepared sauce.