Nobu’s Yellowtail Jalapeño on Dressed Greens
Paper-thin slices of yellowtail (hamachi) arranged over a micro-green salad, each piece topped with a thin round of fresh jalapeño and a drizzle of Nobu’s ponzu-ginger dressing. This is one of Nobu Matsuhisa’s most iconic dishes — a pillar of his Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) cuisine that has appeared on the Nobu menu in virtually every city since the 1990s. The dressing amplifies the fish’s buttery sweetness with citrus acid, while the jalapeño heat cuts through the fat and lifts the whole plate.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sashimi-grade yellowtail (hamachi) | 400 g |
| Fresh jalapeño pepper | 1–2 (to taste) |
| Micro greens or baby watercress | 80 g |
| Daikon sprouts (kaiware) | 30 g |
| Yuzu tobiko or regular tobiko (optional) | 2 tbsp |
| Cilantro leaves | small handful |
| Flaky sea salt | to taste |
| For dressing | |
| Ponzu (store-bought or homemade) | 3 tbsp |
| Fresh ginger, grated | 1 tsp |
| Yuzu juice (or lemon) | 1 tsp |
| Toasted sesame oil | ½ tsp |
| Light soy sauce | 1 tsp |
| Garlic, very finely grated | tiny pinch |
Method
- Make the dressing: whisk together ponzu, ginger, yuzu, sesame oil, soy sauce, and the faintest trace of garlic. Taste and adjust acidity. Refrigerate until service.
- Using a very sharp knife, slice the yellowtail against the grain into 3–4 mm slices. Keep cold on a tray lined with cling film over ice.
- Slice the jalapeño into very thin rounds on a mandoline. Remove seeds if you want less heat.
- Toss micro greens and daikon sprouts with a small spoonful of the dressing — just enough to gloss the leaves. Arrange loosely on a chilled serving plate.
- Fan the yellowtail slices over the greens, slightly overlapping.
- Place one jalapeño round on each slice of fish. Scatter tobiko and cilantro leaves.
- Spoon the remaining dressing lightly over the fish just before serving. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt.
Notes
- The yellowtail must be sashimi-grade and served very cold — chill the plate too.
- Yuzu kosho (a tiny amount, placed under the jalapeño) can replace the jalapeño for a different type of heat.
- Thin-sliced serrano works if jalapeño is unavailable.
- Serve as a starter immediately after dressing — the acid will cook the fish if left to sit.
Dressing: Nobu-Style-Ginger-Dressing