Cuban-Japanese fusion recipe

Horse Mackerel Namerou with Miso and Ají Cachucha

Name: Horse Mackerel Namerou with Miso and Ají Cachucha
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 400 g cleaned horse mackerel fillets, skinless and boneless, intended for raw consumption and already treated; 25 g miso; 10 g fresh ginger, grated; 20 g chives, chopped; 1 small ají cachucha (about 15 g cleaned and deseeded), chopped; 8 g cilantro, chopped; 300 g peeled malanga; Enough vegetable oil for frying; A pinch of salt

Hand-chopped horse mackerel with miso, ginger, chives, ají cachucha and cilantro, served with malanga chips. A Cuban-Japanese fusion starter for 4.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation30 min
Cooking15 min
Total time45 min
Servings4 small servings
DifficultyMedium

Namerou is a Japanese preparation of fish chopped by hand with miso and aromatics, closely associated with the coast of Chiba. This version is a contemporary Cuban-Japanese fusion adaptation, not a traditional recipe from either cuisine.

The Cuban twist comes from ají cachucha, cilantro and crisp malanga chips to scoop up each bite. It's a fresh, aromatic starter with a fine texture, best served freshly made in small portions.

Note: This dish contains raw fish, so the first step is to buy carefully and follow the safety protocol in the steps and notes.

Ingredients

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Namerou

400 g cleaned horse mackerel fillets, skinless and boneless, intended for raw consumption and already treated
25 g miso
10 g fresh ginger, grated
20 g chives, chopped
1 small ají cachucha (about 15 g cleaned and deseeded), chopped
8 g cilantro, chopped

Malanga chips

300 g peeled malanga
Enough vegetable oil for frying
A pinch of salt

Method

Malanga chips

Cut the peeled malanga into very thin, even slices and dry them well with a cloth or paper towel so they fry up crisp.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Heat the oil to 170-175 °C and fry the slices in batches, without crowding, until completely cooked and crisp. Malanga is not eaten raw.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Drain the chips, season them with a pinch of salt and let them cool completely on a rack or paper towel.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Namerou

Before starting, check that the horse mackerel comes from a reliable supplier, is suitable for raw consumption and has undergone appropriate parasite control, and has already been treated and thawed in the refrigerator. Keep it at 4 °C or below until ready to cut, and use a clean cutting board and utensils kept separate from other foods.
Chop the chives, cleaned ají cachucha and cilantro, and grate the fresh ginger. Set the aromatics aside in the refrigerator.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Cut the cold horse mackerel into strips and then into small dice on a clean, cold cutting board.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the miso and aromatics and continue chopping by hand until the mixture is very finely chopped and holds together, with no large pieces but still retaining the texture of the fish. Do not blend or purée it. Miso already adds salt: do not add more without tasting.
Serve immediately, freshly prepared, in four small portions with the malanga chips on the side. Keep the namerou cold until serving and do not save leftovers.

Tips and variations

Raw fish safety. Buy horse mackerel from a reliable supplier, with fish specifically intended for raw consumption, and confirm that it has undergone parasite control appropriate to the species and origin, using supplier-validated freezing where applicable. Freshness alone is no guarantee. Always start with fish that has already been treated and thawed in the refrigerator.

Keep the fish, mixed miso and raw preparations at 4 °C or below. Use clean utensils and a cutting board separate from those used for other foods to avoid cross-contamination.

What does not protect you. Ginger, miso, soy sauce, citrus, kombu, or searing or lightly cooking only the outside do not make the raw center of the fish safe. Proper freezing controls parasites, but it does not eliminate all harmful microorganisms, so there is no zero risk.

Leftovers. Serve freshly prepared. Do not store the dressed fish.

Alternative for pregnant people, children, older adults and immunocompromised people. If someone in these groups will be eating it, cook the horse mackerel completely until it reaches 63 °C in the center, then chop it and mix it with the miso and aromatics. This is a different preparation: its texture, color and flavor differ from raw namerou.

Salt and gluten. Miso already adds salt; taste before adding more. Depending on the brand, miso may contain gluten, so this dish is not labeled gluten-free.

Malanga. It is not eaten raw: the chips must be completely fried and crisp. Thin, even slices and oil at 170-175 °C give the best results.

About the adaptation. Namerou is a Japanese preparation associated with Chiba. This version with cachucha, cilantro and malanga is a contemporary adaptation.