How Japanese Chefs Turn Anglerfish Into A Delicious Meal

Anglerfish is ugly with its pointy underbite, oversized head, and extra slimy body — so soft and slimy that you can't cut it on a chopping board. Most chefs prepare the fish using a technique known as tsurushi-giri, or hanging it from a hook for filleting. It's a deep-sea monster that lures prey using a light attached to its head like a biological fishing rod. And it's good to eat, if you know how to cook it. 

Anglerfish is popular in countries like Spain and Portugal, Norway, and Korea. In South America, you'll find anglerfish skewers with chimichurri sauce, anglerfish ceviche, and anglerfish tacos. Galatian style anglerfish is slow cooked in a crockpot with onions and potatoes. You could use anglerfish for a base in a cozy fish stock, feature it in an herby lemon butter fish skillet, or swap it for your usual white fish in homemade ceviche. Or, you could pull inspiration from Japanese chefs, who have perfected cooking anglerfish.

Anglerfish is a delicate white fish that has a light flavor, high nutrients, and low calories. In Japan, the most popular way to eat it is as a soup called "anko nabe," or anglerfish hot pot, a hearty soup made with anglerfish and vegetables, flavored with miso and anglerfish liver. You can make a meal out of just steamed anglerfish liver, called "ankimo," especially from December to February, when fresh-caught anglerfish liver is fattier. This fatty anglerfish liver is known as the "foie gras of the sea."

Anglerfish is a Japanese winter delicacy, served at resorts and restaurants up and down the Japanese coast when it's in season from December to March. Everything but the bones is edible on an anglerfish, and in Japan, the fish is divided up into seven parts, known as the "seven tools of the anglerfish" — the flesh, gills, stomach, liver, fins, skin, and ovaries. Each of these parts is used in different dishes. Anglerfish is so popular that it is advertised by Japan's travel industry as being good for "beauty and health," especially anglerfish hot pot. 

From anglerfish sushi to anglerfish stew and grilled fillets, anglerfish is a versatile white fish that is delicious on its own or dressed up with a miso glaze. Swap anglerfish for the salmon in this roasted miso maple salmon recipe or coat it in super crispy tempura for anglerfish sticks at home. You might have to get a ticket to Japan to try an authentic wintertime anglerfish hot pot, but you could get a gadget like this 2-in-1 hot pot skillet combo online, find some anglerfish at your local specialty grocer, and try a few Japanese anglerfish recipes in your own home.