The Art of Hamachi Kama: Japan's Best-Kept Culinary Secret
There are dishes that define a cuisine, and then there are dishes that define an experience. Hamachi kama — the collar of the Japanese yellowtail — belongs firmly in the latter category. Walk into any neighbourhood izakaya in Tokyo or Osaka, and you will find this unassuming cut sizzling under a charcoal grill, its rich, buttery flesh pulling away from the bone in glistening ribbons. It is the dish that regulars order before anything else, the one the chef keeps for friends, and the cut that seasoned sushi lovers prize above the loin itself.
Why the collar? Because this crescent-shaped section, nestled just behind the gills and above the pectoral fin, contains an extraordinary concentration of intramuscular fat. Unlike the pristine, uniform flesh of the fillet, the collar is a mosaic of textures: silky pockets of omega-rich fat, firm strips of dark muscle, delicate connective tissue that melts under heat, and a layer of skin that crisps into something close to crackling. It is, in short, the most flavourful part of the fish — and one of the most forgiving to cook at home.
At Miss A's Handpick Fine Food, we source Japanese Hamachi Collar directly from Japan, individually vacuum-sealed and flash-frozen to preserve that just-caught sweetness. Paired with a homemade teriyaki glaze, a bowl of fluffy Hokkaido rice, and a few well-chosen accompaniments, this is a restaurant-quality dinner that comes together in under forty minutes — and will have your family asking for it every week.
What You Will Need
For the Hamachi Collar
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Hamachi Collar | 2 pieces (approx. 300–400 g each) | Thaw overnight in the refrigerator |
| Fine sea salt | 1 tsp | For pre-seasoning |
| Neutral oil | 1 tbsp | Grapeseed or rice bran oil works well |
For the Teriyaki Glaze
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Grown Single Origin Natural Black Soy Sauce | 3 tbsp | A naturally brewed soy sauce makes all the difference |
| Mirin | 3 tbsp | Use hon-mirin for authentic sweetness |
| Sake | 2 tbsp | Cooking sake is fine |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp | White or light brown |
| Fresh ginger | 1 tsp, finely grated | Optional but recommended |
For Serving
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido White Rice | 2 cups, cooked | Rinse until water runs clear, then cook |
| Chitose's Daikon | 100 g, finely grated | Squeeze out excess moisture |
| Egypt Lemon | 1, cut into wedges | For squeezing over the finished fish |
| Chitose's Oba (Shiso Leaves) | 4–6 leaves | For garnish |
| Quick-pickled vegetables | A small bowl | Recipe below |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Hamachi Collar (15 minutes + resting time)
Start by removing the collars from their packaging and patting them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. This step is non-negotiable if you want crispy skin — moisture is the enemy of browning.
Place the collars skin-side up on a wire rack set over a tray. Sprinkle both sides evenly with the sea salt, paying a little extra attention to the thicker sections near the bone. Let them rest uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, and up to an hour. This brief dry-brine draws surface moisture out of the skin and seasons the flesh all the way through, rather than just on the surface.
While the collars rest, take this time to prepare your teriyaki glaze and accompaniments.
Step 2: Make the Teriyaki Glaze (5 minutes)
Authentic teriyaki is not the thick, syrupy sauce you find in bottles at the supermarket. It is a simple, four-ingredient reduction that clings to grilled food like lacquer — glossy, savoury-sweet, and utterly addictive.
Combine the Taiwan Grown Black Soy Sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. If using ginger, add it now. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the glaze has thickened just enough to coat the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so err on the side of slightly too thin rather than too thick. Set aside.
Using a naturally brewed soy sauce here — rather than a chemically hydrolysed one — gives the glaze a rounder, more complex flavour with genuine umami depth. The Taiwan-grown black soy sauce from missa.sg is an exceptional choice: made from locally grown black soybeans and aged naturally, it has a richness that supermarket soy simply cannot match.
Step 3: Grill or Broil the Collar (12–15 minutes)
You have two excellent options here: an outdoor grill or your oven's broiler (grill function). Both produce superb results.
Option A: Outdoor Grill (Charcoal or Gas)
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (around 200–220°C / 400–430°F). Clean and oil the grates well.
- Remove the collars from the refrigerator and brush the skin side lightly with neutral oil.
- Place the collars skin-side down on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 6 to 7 minutes without moving them. Resist the urge to peek — the skin needs uninterrupted contact with the heat to crisp properly.
- Carefully flip the collars using a wide fish spatula. Brush the now-upward-facing skin with a generous layer of teriyaki glaze.
- Continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when prodded with a chopstick near the thickest part.
- In the final minute, brush with another layer of glaze and let it caramelise.
Option B: Oven Broiler
- Position an oven rack about 15 cm (6 inches) from the broiler element. Preheat the broiler on high for at least 5 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange the collars skin-side down on the rack.
- Broil for 7 to 8 minutes until the flesh is lightly golden and starting to char at the edges.
- Flip carefully, brush with teriyaki glaze, and broil for another 5 to 6 minutes.
- Brush with a second coat of glaze in the final minute. Watch closely — broilers can go from perfectly caramelised to burnt in seconds.
Step 4: Rest and Glaze (2 minutes)
Transfer the collars to a serving plate and brush with one final coat of teriyaki glaze while they are still hot. The residual heat will set the glaze into a beautiful, lacquered finish. Let them rest for 2 minutes — this allows the juices to redistribute through the flesh.
Tips for Perfect Hamachi Kama
Judging Doneness
The collar's uneven thickness means different zones cook at different rates, which is actually a feature, not a flaw. The thin tail section will be slightly more well-done and crispy, while the thick section near the bone will be just barely cooked through and supremely juicy. Insert a chopstick or thin skewer into the thickest part: if it slides in with minimal resistance and the flesh looks opaque (not translucent), the collar is ready. The internal temperature should reach 60–63°C (140–145°F).
Getting Crispy Skin
Three things matter: the fish must be thoroughly dry before it hits the heat; the cooking surface must be very hot; and you must not move the fish for the first 6 to 7 minutes. If using a broiler, start skin-side down so the flesh cooks through first, then flip to finish the skin under direct heat. For grill marks, resist flipping more than once.
Flipping Without Disaster
Hamachi collar is a delicate piece of fish, and the worst thing you can do is try to flip it with tongs. Use a wide, thin fish spatula. Slide it gently under the collar, making sure you have loosened any spots where the skin has stuck to the grate. Support the far edge with a second spatula or a pair of chopsticks if needed. Flip in one confident, smooth motion.
Do Not Overcook
The generous fat content of hamachi collar means it stays moist even when slightly overcooked, but there is a window of perfection you want to hit: flesh that is just opaque, still glistening with rendered fat, and pulling away from the bone with the gentlest tug. If the flesh looks dry and chalky, it has gone too far. When in doubt, pull the collar off the heat a minute early — carryover heat will finish the job.
Serving Suggestions
Grated Daikon (Daikon Oroshi)
Peel and finely grate about 100 g of Chitose's Daikon using a Japanese oroshi grater or the finest side of a box grater. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid with your hands — you want the texture of fluffy snow, not a wet paste. Mound it alongside the collar on the serving plate. The cool, mildly peppery daikon cuts through the richness of the fish beautifully and aids digestion.
Steamed Hokkaido Rice
Cook your Hokkaido White Rice according to your rice cooker's instructions, making sure to rinse it at least three times until the water runs mostly clear. Hokkaido rice is prized for its plump, slightly sticky grains and gentle sweetness — the perfect canvas for the savoury teriyaki glaze. Serve in individual rice bowls alongside the collar.
Quick-Pickled Vegetables (Asazuke)
For a bright, crunchy contrast, prepare a quick pickle while the fish rests:
- Thinly slice 1 small cucumber and 1 small carrot into rounds or ribbons.
- Toss with 1/2 tsp salt and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze out excess water, then dress with 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of sesame seeds.
- These pickles come together in minutes and add colour, crunch, and acidity to the plate.
The Finishing Touches
Arrange the grilled collar on a plate with a mound of grated daikon on one side. Tuck a few shiso leaves underneath or alongside the fish — their herbaceous, slightly minty fragrance complements the richness perfectly. Add a wedge or two of fresh lemon for squeezing, and serve the remaining teriyaki glaze in a small dipping dish on the side.
Why This Dish Works
There is a reason hamachi kama has survived centuries of Japanese culinary evolution while trendier dishes come and go. The collar's natural fat content means it is almost impossible to dry out, making it one of the most forgiving proteins for home cooks. The teriyaki glaze adds just enough sweetness to balance the fish's oceanic richness without masking it. And the accompaniments — cool daikon, aromatic shiso, bright lemon, tangy pickles, comforting rice — create a meal that hits every note on the palate.
This is not a dish that requires advanced technique or expensive equipment. What it does require is quality ingredients. A collar from a well-raised Japanese hamachi, a soy sauce that has been brewed with care rather than manufactured in a factory, rice from the volcanic soils of Hokkaido, vegetables grown with Japanese precision — these things matter, and they are precisely what Miss A's Handpick Fine Food exists to bring to your kitchen in Singapore.
Set aside forty minutes this weekend. Fire up the grill or preheat the broiler. Open a cold beer or pour a glass of crisp junmai sake. And discover, as generations of Japanese home cooks already know, that the collar is the best part of the fish.
