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1
Keep the work environment cold throughout. Lay the mackerel fillets skin-side down on a tray. Bury them completely under a heavy, even layer of fine sea salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, adjusting for fillet thickness — larger fillets require the longer end of the range. The cure is sufficient when the surface of the flesh has firmed visibly and shed moisture.
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2
Lift the fillets and rinse thoroughly under cold running water, removing every trace of salt to prevent over-salinity in the finished dish. Pat dry with paper towel. This step is complete when the flesh is clean, firm, and shows no saline residue.
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3
Place the rinsed fillets skin-side up in a shallow, non-reactive dish. Pour over sufficient komezu to submerge them fully. Refrigerate for 20–40 minutes according to the texture desired — the shorter time yields a more translucent, fattier centre; the longer time a more uniformly opaque, firmer result. This is where the dish lives or dies: watch the flesh at the edges turn from translucent red to opaque white-pink while the centre retains a veil of translucency. Over-vinegaring past this point produces chalky, acidic, irretrievably flat flesh.
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4
Remove the fillets from the vinegar bath and place skin-side up on a rack. Use tweezers to extract any remaining pin bones along the lateral line. With a dry fingertip, locate and peel away the thin transparent membrane from the silver skin — it lifts cleanly when the cure has been properly executed. The iridescent silver surface beneath is the intended presentation face.
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5
Rest the fillets uncovered on the rack under refrigeration for 30 minutes. The surface dries slightly; the fish holds its shape cleanly under the knife. The fillet is ready to slice when it feels firm and dry to a light finger-press, not tacky.
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6
Slice on a bias with a single drawing stroke. Arrange immediately on chilled plates, silver skin uppermost. Scatter julienned ginger and myoga over the plated fillet. Serve at once, or refrigerate uncovered for up to 24 hours.