Glossy cod with a bold miso glaze, golden-brown rice and quickly stir-fried bok choy. A fresh miso sauce and a little chili crisp add extra heat and contrast to every bite.
Miso gives this meal its savory backbone: the fermented soybean paste brings saltiness and deep umami, and develops a glossy coating on the cod in the oven. White miso is a practical choice here because it’s mild enough to mix with mirin and honey, but don’t simply use extra soy sauce as a substitute; it makes the glaze thinner and saltier. The sauce also gets miso, so the flavor isn’t only on the outside of the fish.
The cod stays juicy if you don’t cook it for too long. Pat the fillets dry before applying the glaze: this helps it stick better and makes the fish less likely to steam. Miso and honey brown quickly, so bake the fish at a moderate oven temperature and keep an eye on it during the last few minutes. The fish is done when it’s opaque and flakes apart easily. Thick fillets may need a little longer than thin ones.
Cold, already-cooked rice works best for crispy rice. The grains are drier, so they fry more easily in a hot skillet without turning mushy right away. Press the rice into an even layer and leave it undisturbed for a few minutes before turning it; this gives the bottom time to form a firm crust. Use freshly cooked rice if that’s more convenient, but spread it out to cool after cooking. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature for long: cool it quickly and store it covered in the fridge.
Add the bok choy to the pan right at the end. The white stems need a little more time than the leaves, but should still have a slight bite. Ginger and garlic add fragrance without overpowering the miso. For extra acidity, you can increase the rice vinegar in the sauce to taste; keep the gochujang modest so it doesn’t take over all the other flavors.
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste, and chili crisp is a spicy, crunchy oil condiment; they’re intentional modern accents alongside the Japanese-inspired miso, not standard components of a Japanese classic. The gochujang makes the sauce warm and lightly sweet, while a spoonful of chili crisp on the plate adds crunchy chili and extra heat. Serve the fish right away, with the rice and bok choy alongside. Add a lime wedge if you’d like to bring out the fresh notes a little more.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Pat the cod dry. Mix 1½ tablespoons of miso with the mirin, honey, soy sauce and grated ginger. Brush it over the fish and place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the cod for 10–12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque and flakes apart easily. Keep an eye on the glaze; take the fish out of the oven sooner if it gets too dark.
For the sauce, stir the remaining tablespoon of miso with the gochujang, rice vinegar and water until smooth.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the rice and press it into an even layer with a spatula. Fry for 4–5 minutes without stirring, until the bottom is crispy. Turn the rice over in sections and fry for another 2 minutes.
Push the rice to one side of the pan. Add the bok choy and garlic and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have just wilted. Divide the rice and bok choy between two plates.
Add the cod, spoon the miso sauce over the fish and serve with chili crisp.
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