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Ready to cook these portioned Mackerel fillets have been cured in salty kelp seaweed or Konbu in Japanese, which adds another layer of umami with the salt to the already tasty fish.

One of the healthiest fish you can eat, Mackerel is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, EPA and DHA are vital to cell development, and are needed for fetal development and healthy ageing. Basically, if you eat lots of healthy fish like Mackerel, you will live longer and be less likely to get sick.

Popularly known in Asian cuisine as Saba, this fish can be prepared in various ways from sushi, baked, grilled or fried but the easiest and one of the most popular and delicious way is to grill it either whole or as more commonly seen, filleted.

Baked in the oven, this Grilled Mackerel or Saba Shioyaki is the simplest fish recipe you can make on your busy weeknight. It’s a little rustic, but a thing of beauty, with its golden crispy skin and delicious flavor. Serve it with steamed rice, miso soup, and a salad, you’ll have a lovely Japanese meal for dinner.

Grilled Mackerel or Saba Shioyaki (鯖の塩焼き) is one of the popular seafood dishes served as an entree or part of a bento combination in Japanese restaurants. What you may not know is how fast and easy it is to make this grilled fish at home. What makes it a popular dish for any family dinner is that it feels special, but is so very simple.

Ayu a relative of the Smelt is a small, slim fish that typically only survives in extremely clean water, earning it the rather elegant nickname seiryu no jouou “the queen of clear rivers.”

While considered a symbol of summer, the ayu season is long, and the recommended way of enjoying these tasty fish changes with the time of year. They’re very versatile and so you’ll find a range of ayu dishes to tempt you.

Shioyaki (grilled with salt) is the most popular way to cook ayu, which is highly nutritious and can be eaten in its entirety. Even the internal organs of the fish can be eaten. It’s delectable and will leave you smacking your lips for more. Again, the whole fish can be consumed, but most people will remove the flesh from the bones, and leave the head and tail. The organs can be bitter, so some people avoid those too.

Shioyaki is often a popular street snack, served at festivals or at little shacks serving hungry hikers on popular trails. Visually, it’s a striking image, the ayu are speared on wooden sticks in a wavey manner making it look like they are swimming and arranged vertically around a charcoal pit.