From Delicious in Dungeon · 2024- · Reconstructed
Giant Parasite Kabayaki
Serve when
Serve when the lake episode turns something deeply unappetizing into kabayaki and dares everyone to admit it looks good.
In the series
Season 1
- S1E7 · ~00:19:00 A giant parasite from the kraken is cooked as kabayaki and shirayaki after the lake crossing
In the series
The giant parasite kabayaki is a perfect Delicious in Dungeon contradiction: conceptually repulsive, visually delicious, and practically rooted in a real cooking style. That is exactly why it belongs on the table.
Ingredients
- For the sauce:
- For the fish:
- For serving:
Method
- Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and ginger in a small saucepan. Simmer until glossy and lightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
- Pat the fish dry and salt it lightly. Heat the oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned pan over medium heat.
- Cook the fish skin-side down until the skin is crisp and the flesh is mostly opaque, about 5 minutes. Flip carefully and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the flesh flakes at the thickest point (145 F).
- Brush the fish with sauce, flip briefly, and brush again. Repeat once or twice until the glaze clings without burning.
- Serve over rice with scallions, sesame, and sansho or black pepper.
Substitutions
- Giant parasite: Eel is the closest kabayaki reference, but trout, catfish, and salmon are easier to source. Catfish has the soft, rich texture; trout gives a cleaner river-fish flavor.
- Mirin and sake: Use dry sherry or water for sake. For mirin, use 2 tablespoons rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar if needed.
- Sansho pepper: Sansho is citrusy and numbing. Black pepper plus a little lemon zest is not identical, but it gives brightness and bite.
- Skinless fish: It works, but handle gently and glaze only at the end. Skin-on fish survives flipping and gives the dish more texture.