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What could be one of the iconic dishes of the ‘90s?To my mind there is only one which leads the pack; the black cod in miso glaze. I had almost forgotten how good it tastes, but on Saturday after leaving Placido Domingo (the man with the molten chocolate voice) and the duet from the opera, La Traviata still ringing in my ears, I repaired to Tetsuma’s in Colaba. Looking at the menu, there was no choice — it had to be the black cod. I last had it at Wasabi and before that at Nobu’s in London. The black cod is a dish which the great Japanese Chef Nobu Matsuhisa introduced to the world, and for which I think we should be grateful.There should be a Nobel prize for such achievements. However, it is a traditional Japanese dish and not one of Nobu’s creations.

Japanese cuisine thrives on fermentation. Miso, the famous bean paste made from cooled, mashed, salted and fermented soy beans, has been around for more than millennia. It is worth recalling that sushi was devised as a way of preserving fish in fermented rice. It is not surprising that this process was extended to various meats, and vegetables including the famed Kyoto grilled aubergine, and to fish.Remember Kyoto is the cultural epicentre of Japan and its cooking techniques were refined there.

That is the origin of the black cod in miso glaze. The combination of a rich velvety glaze melting into the milky white softness of the fish is one of the great gastronomic experiences; it gives every taste bud an orgasm. The fish is marinated overnight and then grilled in an oven, emerging with a caramelised top and a slight touch of sweetness.It is food for the gods.

But it must be noted that black cod does not refer to the glaze, which is translucent, but the grey-black skin of the fish.Black cod is not the same thing as the cod, beloved of the English chippie.It is not even related to the cod.It comes from the family known as skilfish.

The Jewish delicatessens in New York used to serve a smoked fish known as sable with paprika glaze on the bagel as a poor man’s smoked salmon. That is the black cod.

It is largely fished in Alaska, a US state in the news because of Sarah Palin, although I doubt whether her tastes extend to such exotica.This fish is, however, prized by the Japanese who fish it, freeze it and transport it back. It is called ‘Tara’ and accorded the status of a great delicacy.

The black cod in mizo glaze is not a difficult dish to make and with regular white miso
you can use any white fleshed fish like ravas or surmai (although the later is rather oily).
To prepare the dish you need half a cup of sake, mirin ( a sweet Japanese rice wine), one cup of white miso and half a cup of sugar.

Put everything in a saucepan for 2 minutes and bring to a boil. By then the alcohol would have evaporated and you have the marinade. Marinate the fish for a period of six hours to three days in a fridge. Bake it in the oven until the top is brown and your black cod in mizo glaze is ready.

Email: javed.gaya@gmail.com