Eggs and Soy-Glazed Sardine over Rice

Too much has happened in 2020 and since the last time I blogged. Instead of waxing on about them, I’ll go straight to the food, with a recipe for soy-glazed sardine rice bowl ! My pantry frequently alternates between fully stocked and barren, because I go to the shop only sporadically and honestly order a lot of takeout. Cooking has been emotionally draining these days, and I find myself ordering food for Alex and myself or grabbing ramen, and if I cook it’s never something involved. Instead I’m gravitating towards quick, simple meals. A little late to the game, but I’ve been loving canned fish and how easy they can be incorporated into meals! I’ve partnered with Matiz Wild Sardines to make this super simple rice bowl.

I love the experience of Japanese breakfast. When I was traveling in Japan it was one of the meals I looked forward to the most. The breadth of flavors and food was amazing, often including fish, pickles, some sort of soup, and rice. I’m not Japanese and do not have my own Japanese traditions, but this dish is inspired from my love for Japanese breakfasts. I eat seasoned soft eggs over rice all the time, and this is just a more luxurious version of that. The sardines are cooked in a way that’s to unagi, with a soy-based sauce and braise, and served over seasoned eggs and rice! Sardines are by nature an oily fish with really tender flesh and works so well in this dish. It comes together incredibly quickly, less than 15 minutes if you have cooked rice on hand.

A little bit about these sardines: Spain has a rich tradition of canning seafood – these sardines are wild-caught and minimally processed, cooked only once and then packed in rice olive oil. Honestly I’ve eaten them straight from the tin without any additional seasoning – they go great with rice and congee (especially congee). Before the pandemic I didn’t really eat much tinned fish, but now I can’t imagine my pantry without tinned fish stocked! Matiz’s mackerel is also lovely – a very different texture but amazing with its smokiness.

The recipe is fast because the fish is already cooked. A quick sear then coating with the soy buttery glaze – it’s luxurious and perfect with rice. The eggs are optional, but I love the taste of seasoned softly scrambled eggs over rice. The rice picks up the flavors of both the sardines and eggs.

In partnership with Matiz Wild Sardines. As always, opinions and content are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this blog. 

Eggs and Soy-Glazed Sardine over Rice: Japanese-inspired Breakfast Bowl

1 tin sardines
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
Dash white pepper

3 eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Mirin, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a drop of sesame oil, scrambled to your preference.

Gently slice sardine in half, lengthwise. Remove spine (optional as these are edible)

Combine mirin, soy sauces, honey, and white pepper together

Heat up frying pan or skillet with about 1 tablespoon of oil. Place sardines down in a single layer without overcrowding. Sear for about half a minute, then gently flip and sear other side. Set aside.

Heat butter until foaming, then add soy sauce mix and wait until it is gently bubbling, with little bubbles. Lower heat to medium-low and add in fish, gently shaking the pan and spooning sauce over it, until sauce is thick and reduced, coating the fish.

Serve over rice with softly scrambled eggs and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds

Sprinkle w scallions