7 Japanese Buri and Madai Recipe Ideas
Japanese Buri and Madai have plenty to offer a home cook. Buri brings richness to fried rice, curry and rice bowls, while Madai lends its delicate sweetness to dishes such as fish steamed in white wine. A recent Toronto tasting put that versatility on the menu.
On September 28, 2026, JFFEA presented Japanese Buri and Madai at Shangri-La Toronto, where Executive Chef JohnRoss Woodland demonstrated how the fish can work across different preparations. The event introduced culinary professionals to their firm texture and potential for Canadian menus, with techniques ranging from raw preparations to dry-aging and barbecuing.
“You should not feel that they are locked into one technique or cuisine,” Woodland said in the launch press release.
For home cooks, JFFEA’s recipe collection offers a place to start. These seven ideas range from a vegetable-filled fried rice to a platter of sashimi, with links to the original recipes for ingredients and methods.
Getting to Know Buri and Madai
Buri is Japanese yellowtail in its mature form, with a higher natural fat content and pronounced umami. Its rich flavour gives it a presence alongside spices, savoury sauces and rice.
Madai is Japanese red sea bream, known for its firm flesh and delicate sweetness. It suits simple preparations that leave room for the fish’s own flavour, including sashimi and steaming.
1. Buri Fried Rice
Grilled yellowtail is flaked into rice with eggs, garlic and a mix of vegetables, including carrots, bell peppers and snap peas. Soy sauce finishes the dish, while chives and parsley add a fresh note. If you usually make fried rice with chicken or shrimp, this is an approachable way to put Buri into your dinner rotation.
2. Buri and Madai Sashimi
Serving the two fish together lets you compare Buri’s richness with Madai’s more delicate sweetness. JFFEA keeps the preparation simple, pairing sliced fish with wasabi and vegetable garnishes such as radish and carrots. Its guide also covers slicing yellowtail from a prepared block of fillet, known as a saku.
3. Buri Yukhoe
This raw yellowtail dish brings more seasoning to the plate. Cubed fish is mixed with gochujang, miso, soy sauce and sesame oil, with garlic, ginger, green onion and shiso adding layers of flavour. Serve it with the vegetables suggested in the recipe for a small starter with a little heat.
4. Buri Curry
JFFEA’s yellowtail curry starts with garlic, ginger and onion, then builds a sauce with tomatoes, yogurt and spices including cumin, coriander and garam masala. The fish is lightly floured and fried before being added to the sauce. Turmeric butter rice completes the plate, with an optional squeeze of lemon to finish.
5. Buri Cordon Bleu Style
JFFEA also includes a cordon bleu style yellowtail dish in its collection, taking Buri in a cutlet-style direction. For a dinner idea, put this one on your list alongside a simple green salad or steamed vegetables.
6. Madai Steamed in White Wine with Minestrone
Madai takes the lead in this dish, steamed with white wine and served over minestrone. The soup combines tomatoes, beans and vegetables with bacon, chicken stock and short pieces of vermicelli. It gives the fish a substantial base while keeping its preparation simple.
7. Taco Rice with Buri
Browned yellowtail is coated in a sauce made with onion, garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and chili, then served over rice with lettuce, tomato, avocado and cheese. The combination puts Buri into a familiar rice-bowl format, with crisp vegetables alongside the seasoned fish.
Choosing Your First Recipe
Start with fried rice or taco rice if those dishes are already part of your routine. Try the curry when you want a more seasoned preparation, or the wine-steamed Madai when you want the fish to lead. Each offers a practical way to bring the ideas from the Toronto tasting into your own kitchen.
For sashimi and yukhoe, ask your supplier about fish intended for raw consumption and follow their storage and preparation advice. Raw seafood can carry foodborne illness risks. Health Canada advises pregnant people, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems to choose cooked fish and seafood.
For more information, visit www.jffea.com and follow @japan_fishexport_official on Instagram.
