Karei no Nitsuke(Simmered Flounder)

Servings: 2

Ingredients
1 whole flounder or Snapper or Cod(about 350g)
2 stems shallots/scallions cut into 5cm long pieces
1 tbsp ginger thinly sliced

Simmering Sauce
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp cooking sake
1 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar

Garnish
1 tbsp ginger finely julienned

Instructions
If the flounder is not cleaned, remove the guts and scales. Cut the head and the tail off and discard. Cut the flounder in half, perpendicular to the backbone.
Make a cross incision on the right side of the fish (brown side) where the flesh is the thickest (see the photo in post). If you are using narrow strips of flounder cutlet, an incision is not required.

Add all the Simmering Sauce ingredients to a shallow saucepan or a frying pan that can just fit the flounder pieces without overlapping.
Add the sliced ginger and bring it to a boil.

Put the flounder pieces in the sauce without overlapping, then place the shallots around the flounder pieces.

Place a drop lid (otoshi buta) on, reduce the heat to medium to medium low and cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove the drop lid. Using a spoon, scoop the sauce and pour over the fish while continuing to cook for another few minutes. The sauce will become a bit thicker.

Turn the heat off and transfer the fish to individual plates. Place the cooked shallots to the side of the fish and the julienned ginger on the centre of the fish.