Hamachi Kama is the collar of yellowtail fish (Hamachi). It is the fattiest and juicy part of the fish and there are two in each yellowtail (one per side). Usually, it is grilled/broiled until the skin is crisp and the inside is just cooked through. You can easily scrape the flesh off the cartilage with chopsticks.
One package of Hamachi Kama is always in our freezer. When I need one more dish on the table, I defrost the fish, put it in the toaster oven, and bake (or broil) for 25 minutes. By the time I finish cooking the main dish, Hamachi Kama is ready to serve! My kids LOVE this fish and usually eat almost all of it. My husband and I haven’t had a taste of it for a while… I promise the flavor of the fish (and easy cooking) is quite addicting!
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Hamachi Kama is the collar of yellowtail fish (Hamachi). It is the fattiest and juicy part of the fish and there are two in each yellowtail (one per side). Usually, it is grilled/broiled until the skin is crisp and the inside is just cooked through. You can easily scrape the flesh off the cartilage with chopsticks.
- 1 Hamachi Kama (available in Japanese market)
- 1 tsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
- Lemon (slice, optional)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp . yuzu juice/yuzu extract
- Quickly rinse the hamachi kama in cold water and pat dry.
- Cover baking pan with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with some oil. Place Hamachi Kama, skin side down.
- Bake at 400F until the top is nicely browned, about 20-25 minutes (in my oven toaster). Please remember cooking time varies depending on oven/toaster oven.
- Serve immediately with lemon slice and a small dish containing yuzu and soy sauce mixture. Squeeze lemon over the fish and dip in the sauce to eat.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Editor’s Note: Pictures updated in September 2012.
I tried your recommendation for the hamachi kama that I purchased frozen from a great Japanese market in LV and broiled 4 kamas for 25 minutes and made the sauce with some ponzu , phillipine lemon infused soy sauce with sliced and diced scallions and Japanese peppers.
Result: out of this world great!!!
As avid Japanese food eaters we thought this was as good as any sushi restaurant we ate.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hello Feza! Thank you so much for leaving your comment here. When I saw your comment via email, I immediately told my husband and we were very happy to hear. When I was debating whether or not I should write a post on Hamachi Kama recipe (because I thought it’s too easy to call a “recipe”), my husband convinced me to write a post on it so everyone knows how easy it is to cook/prepare. So, thank you for proving his point. 😉 I hope you enjoy my recipes and I’m so motivated now! Thank you!!! 🙂
Thank you, Nami San! I went to the local fish market but was told no collar from big fish currently… 🙁 Will try your recipe when I find it. Wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
Thank you Amy! I hope you will find hamachi kama soon. Japanese supermarket usually has some all the time, but I know it can be hard to find elsewhere…
Happy Holidays to you too!
My mom buys hamachi collar from local delivery service called “Osakana Club”. They have pretty a lot of kinds of sushi grade fish including kama at very reasonable price(much cheaper than supermarket and better quality). Try http://www.osakanaclubusa.com if they delivery kama to your area. I believe they do service around Bay Area (San Jose CA).
Hi Sarah! I know the service as some of my friends are using it. Thanks for sharing the link with us. 🙂
This is the way I cook for hamachi kama 3 times a week. It is just easy and neat on the table. My family is running a sushi restaurant in San Jose. But many customers konw this fantastic dish, so my kids and I always have these gold from the hamachi. Thanks for the sharing, I will try your sauce on next time. Maybe the dish will give us more surprised.
Hi Monica! Wow 3 times a week! That would be my kids’ dream. 🙂 I’d love to try your family restaurant in SJ. Let me know which restaurant if you don’t mind!
Hi, do you have recommendations for how best to defrost the fish? Do you just leave it in the fridge to defrost? Leave it on the counter? Lukewarm water?
Thanks!
Hi Sara! I usually defrost overnight in the refrigerator or thaw on the counter before cooking (unless it’s hot day). If I’m in hurry, I use cold (running – but small) water to thaw it out (until fish is “flexible” then cook. I do not recommend using a microwave.
Hope this help! 🙂
Thank you so much for the advice! I made this last night and it was so easy and delicious. I made your green been shira-ae as a side. My boyfriend was a very happy camper 🙂
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! It seems like you had a nice Japanese theme dinner! 🙂 Thanks so much for your feedback!
In general is Hamachi Kama in the fresh fish section of a Japanese grocery store or in the freezer section?
Hi Jay! In the Japanese supermarket that I go to, it’s in regular fresh fish section (but they are all packaged and wrapped) and I think they have other kinds of fish in frozen section (no Hamachi Kama in frozen section as far as I know). It might be different from each store. The store usually carries 2-4 Hamachi kama at once (might be more in the back though). Hope that helps. 🙂
Hi! I broiled mine yesterday and I felt it was a bit dry compared to the restaurant. Do you recommend baking over broiling? I think I may have broiled too long because my collar was a little less than half a pound.
Hi Esther! I think it also depends on how far your heat source was. I usually use a toaster oven and bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes depending on the size. 😉
Fantastic dish! Could not be easier to prepare. I drizzled soy syrup on mine for an upscale garnish. (soy syrup is a reduction of soy sauce and sugar)
Soy syrup! YUM! We had hamachi kama tonight too, with smoked soy sauce. That was really delicious. 🙂 This would cost so much more at Japanese restaurants. 😉
I will never order hamachi kama in the restaurants anymore! Thank you for the recipe!
Just one quick question, after 20mins in the oven our kama was cooked but the skin and the edges were not crispy like what you have in the photos. Will you recommend to increase the temperature and keep the same cooking time? We love the crispy bits. Thanks again!
Hi Lynn! Right? It’s so easy to make this dish and we can eat two Hamachi Kama at home with the same cost! 😉
I see. You can increase the heat. I use a toaster oven to bake my fish, and I have upper heat source that can make my skin crisp. Do you use an oven? Try increasing the heat or use broil function for 3 minutes at the end of baking. 🙂
my two cents: should probably put smoke oil on the foil. I tried this and the skin was entirely stuck to the bottom. Also cooking time for my oven set at 400 F was closer to 30 min.
Hi Bob! We eat Hamachi Kama often at home but I often transfer the fish with aluminum foil… I’m going to write a tip in the instructions. Thanks for your feedback Bob!
I made this yesterday along with the Shio Koji Kabocha and it was fantastic! Really loving your blog and easy-to-follow recipes.
Hi Jenn! Yay, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these recipes! Thank you for taking your time to write your kind feedback. I really appreciate it! 🙂
The Yuzu and soy sauce mixture is ponzu sauce. you can just get ponzu sauce if you cant find Yuzu.. which not all areas keep that handy.
Hi Brena! I guess you could do that especially if you enjoy ponzu sauce.
But ponzu is often served with sashimi (white fish), and grilled fish is typically soy sauce. In this case, you will have soy sauce with just a hint of yuzu. Ponzu has more citrus taste and it includes soy sauce, citrus (it can be kabosu, sudachi etc, not just yuzu) and other ingredients. 🙂
Just love your recipes. Great recipes and a great person to know. Thank you for all the great
recipes and lessons. Not just the great recipes you share. But the step by step pictures. Thank you so much and Mahalo.
Hi Charles! Your words are too kind. I’m happy to help! I’m just happy to share the joy of cooking Japanese food with everyone in the world. 🙂 I’m glad to hear my step by step pictures are helpful too (because it’s extra work… he he he).
After sampling yellowtail in Niigata for the first time 2 years ago, I decided I needed to get more of it upon my return home! My second encounter was this dish as an appetizer at a local Japanese restaurant – and to my delight I found it both fresh and frozen at the two Asian grocery markets my wife and I frequent. It’s purely coincidental that this recipe calls for (optionally) yuzu juice – as I’ve been on a bit of a yuzu binge for the last month or so since it’s in season!
In any case – I’ve had good luck broiling the jaw as outlined here in my toaster oven. Depending on the size of the jaw, I’ve been known to drop the temperature to 375 or 350 after a few minutes, to keep the outside from getting too crispy by the time it’s fully cooked through.
Hi Brandon! It’s great that you can get the hamachi kama in your local grocery Asian stores! Much cheaper than eating at Japanese restaurants for sure! Thanks for sharing your tip on cooking the kama with us!
I can’t believe that I found you! My daughter’s name is, (this is all true) Namida , however she goes by Nami.
Hamachi Kama is her favorite. I can’t wait to try this.
Hi Wendy! Oh please send my hello to your Nami! 🙂 I hope she will enjoy homemade Hamachi Kama. 🙂 xo
I bought four from a Japanese market and they were A-MA-ZING!! My kids (picky eaters) ate them up along with miso soup, salad, and rice.
Hi Karla! My kids LOVE Hamachi kama too! So glad you tried this at home (much cheaper than restaurants!). 🙂