Spicy Mackerel & Rice Noodles

To answer your question, no, I didn't spend ages arranging this plate for the photo.  I only spent about one minute if that.  Yes, I ate rather late tonight.  I've been trying to get caught up on my work, so eating kind of got pushed to the back burner.  I'm trying to complete my portfolio book and was having issues with the paper coverings for the covers, but I finally got them pretty much finished, so I bolted into the kitchen to try to cook as quickly as possible.  I'm exhausted and I just want to go to bed.

Just yesterday I bought a ton of a Japanese spice blend called shichimi togarashi, which is a blend of seven spices including chili, sesame, ginger, orange peel, and some others that I can't remember off the top of my head.  I now have enough for the next ten years (10 oz. to be exact), so I thought I'd try it out with some pan-fried mackerel.  It turned out to be very good, although it's a little spicier than I expected.  If you don't have rice noodles, you can certainly just use plain cooked rice.

Spicy Mackerel & Rice Noodles

1/2 mackerel fillet, transparent skin peeled off and bones removed
1-2 oz. rice stick noodles
5 snowpeas, trimmed
1 small sweet pepper, seeded (or use 1/8 bell pepper)
3 slices takuan (pickled diakon)
vegetable oil
5 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sake
1 tsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. shichimi togarashi (seven spice powder)
soy sauce (to serve)

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.  Drain, but do not rinse.  Set aside and keep warm.

Cut the mackerel into 1/2 in. slices.  Mix the soy sauce, sake, and brown sugar.  Add the mackerel and allow to marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Mix the corn starch and shichimi togarashi.  Coat the fish pieces well in the mixture.  Heat oil in a pan, then add the fish.  Cook the fish pieces on each side for 2 minutes or so (use your judgment), or until the fish is golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from heat.

Slice the sweet pepper into 1/8 in. strips. 

To serve, make a bed of rice noodles on a serving dish.  Top with the mackerel, takuan, snowpeas, and sweet pepper.  Serve with soy sauce.