Mackerel Fried in Sesame Batter, Southern Japanese Style

Japanese waters yield an abundant supply of aji, or horse mackerel, and it appears regularly on home and restaurant tables. American waters have a generous supply of mackerel, too, though of a slightly different variety than the petite Japanese aji. For this recipe, both varieties work equally well.

This particular preparation—dipped in a sesame-sprinkled batter and deep-fried—is what the Japanese refer to as “southern fried,” or nambu agé. Quite different from