Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
Barred knifejaw
Certain it is the best-dressed fish on the reef.
- As sashimi, cut medium thick
- Salt-grilled whole
- In a nabe, in a light broth
- In French
- Ishidai
- Scientific name
- Oplegnathus fasciatus
- In the water
- Rocky bottoms off Japan, Korea and China, from the shore down to 80 metres.
- Season & buying
- Summer, when it carries the most fat.
- Common length
- ~40 cm
- How to identify it
- Seven bold dark vertical bars
Hard beak of fused teeth
Oval compressed body
On the plate
White, firm, crisp flesh, highly regarded raw.
Avoid: Underestimating it on the line. It is a respected sport fish.
The bars fade with age in males, whose snout turns black. They are then called kuchiguro, black mouth, and sell for considerably more.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
