Fast & Easy Air Fryer Saba Mackerel "Grilled" Fish Fillet | BIG Bites MY

Fast & East Air Fryer Saba Mackerel "Grilled" Fish Fillet

The Saba Mackerel is an oily fish with a rich flavor. The frozen Saba fish fillets are budget-friendly and easily available at the frozen section of most supermarkets, so having a healthy fish diet can now be easily done at home. However, it is an oily fish with a strong flavor, so the kitchen will be oily and filled with a lingering fish smell if this is cooked the conventional way on the stovetop. Most people will get put off cooking this at home. "Grilling" the Saba Mackerel in the air fryer is not only fast and easy; it keeps the kitchen clean too. So it is possible to make an affordable copy of this popular Japanese restaurant dish at home!  This is a tasty dish to go with rice. It is not difficult at all to prepare. For a complete ala Japanese restaurant style meal, this can be served with some side dishes like miso soup, potato salad, some pickles, and chawan mushi (Japanese-style steamed egg). SO EASY LAH! The recipe shown here feeds 1, just double up accordingly if you are cooking for more.

Watch video for step-by-step method of preparation

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serving: 1 (increase portions accordingly if you are cooking for more)

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of Saba Mackerel fish fillet
• 1 teaspoon groundnut oil
• Salt to taste
• A wedge of lemon
  
  

Method:

• Preparing the Saba Mackerel:
  
• Cut off the fins
• Remove the bones with a pair of fishbone tweezers. Skip this step if fish bones don't bother you.
• Remove the larger bones along the rib cage first
• Feel for the small bones (pin bones) along the spine of the fish fillet and remove them with the fishbone tweezer
• Rinse the fish fillet and place it on top of a trivet. Pop it into the fridge for a few hours to allow the excess water to drip out. (If you are in a hurry, just dry the fish fillet with paper towels after rinsing.)

• Pre-heat the air fryer: 
• Maximum temperature (200°C for my air fryer) for 5 minutes
  
  
• Preparing the air fryer:
• After pre-heating the air fryer, line the tray with a piece of air fryer tray liner
• Brush a thin layer of oil on the paper liner
  
  
• Air frying the Saba Mackerel:
• Place the fish fillet into the pre-heated air fryer basket. Brush the fish fillet with a layer of oil.
• Air fry the fish fillet at 200°C for 5 minutes
• After 5 minutes, brush another layer of oil on the fish fillet and rotate the position of the fillet for a more even fry. Continue air frying the fish fillet at 200°C for 3 minutes.
• After 3 minutes, brush another layer of oil on the fish fillet and season the fish with salt to taste. Rotate the position of the fillet. Continue air frying the fish fillet at 200°C for 2 minutes. 
  
  
• After a TOTAL air frying time of 10 minutes (5 minutes + 3 minutes + 2 minutes), the fish skin should be crispy. Tilt the basket to allow the excess oil to flow to the bottom layer.
• Plate up and serve with a wedge of lemon
  
  

Notes:

1. If you do not have an air fryer, you can always pan fry the Saba Mackerel in a pan on a stovetop
2. For a complete ala Japanese restaurant style meal, this can be served with some side dishes like miso soup, potato salad, some pickles, and chawan mushi (Japanese-style steamed egg)