Teriyaki sardines

I can't wait for summer to arrive so I can try out these on the barbecue - something tells me they'll be even better with a little smoky charring.

This is a pretty flexible teriyaki sauce which can be used for a whole range of fish, and this would work well with salmon, halibut, or herrings too.  I'll be testing out a vegan version using cotton tofu, the roughly textured type, then slicing and adding it to stir fries or perhaps a warm noodle salad.

Or like here, just serve with steamed greens and a mound of fragrant jasmine rice.

Serves 2

6 small whole sardines
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
4 tsp golden caster sugar
ground black pepper

1) I like to bone the sardines before cooking to make them easier to eat but you can cook them whole instead.  To bone, scale the fish then split them up through the belly and remove the innards before washing and drying.  Now remove the head and lay the fish, belly down, onto a chopping board and firmly press your thumb all along the backbone.  Turn over the fish and gently pull the backbone from the flesh, and cut off at the tail.  Trim away any additional bones and repeat with the other fish.

2) Combine all the remaining ingredients in a small pan and heat until the sauce has reduced to a syrupy mixture, then brush over both sides of the fish.  Grill at a high heat for a minute on each side, brushing again with the sauce before turning, and serve.