Hamo no Otoshi

If not already prepared by a fishmonger, perform honegiri on the hamo fillet by scoring it deeply and closely with a sharp knife, cutting through the small bones but not through the skin. Cut the prepared hamo into 5 cm pieces.

Prepare dashi: Gently wipe kombu with a damp cloth. Place kombu and 1000 grams Water (for dashi) in a pot and heat slowly. Just before the water boils, remove the kombu. Bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add katsuobushi and let steep for 30 seconds. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve.

Prepare dipping sauces: For a ponzu-style sauce, combine 30 grams Usukuchi soy sauce, 30 grams Mirin, 30 grams Sake, and 30 grams Rice vinegar in a small bowl and whisk well. For umeboshi sauce, mix 20 grams Umeboshi paste with a small amount of the prepared dashi until smooth.