Shiro Amadai White Tilefish Japan 2.2lb

What is Shiro Amadai?
Shiro amadai (白甘鯛, white tilefish) is the top grade of amadai — rarer than the red or yellow, and highly prized by Kyoto kaiseki chefs. Its flesh is tender with a delicate, watery consistency that takes expert handling, and it's celebrated for a refined sweetness and a soft texture. It's at its peak from October to March, and runs 0.8–2 lbs per piece.

Among the three amadai, the white is the most sought after and the hardest to come by — a fish that appears on the finest kaiseki menus. It's often prepared with the scales on (matsukasa-yaki), where the scales stand up like pine cones and crisp while the flesh underneath stays soft.

Specifications

How to enjoy

The signature is matsukasa-yaki (松笠焼き), also called wakasa-yaki — grilling the fish scales-on so they stand up and crisp like pine cones, while the flesh stays soft. It's also steamed, simmered, or served in a clear soup as a wan-dane, and very fresh it's excellent as sashimi or kelp-cured (kobujime), which firms the delicate flesh. Because the flesh is soft and watery, it rewards careful handling — keep it cold and cook it fresh.

Pairing notes — salt, sudachi or yuzu, kombu, dashi broth, and a dry sake.