Ingredients
Fish
- 400 gfish suitable for raw consumption: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, sea bream
To serve
- 200 gdaikon, shredded very fine
- shiso leaves
- fresh wasabi, grated
- soy sauce
Optional
- ponzu
- grated ginger
- sliced spring onion
Equipment
- a very sharp long knife, a yanagiba if you have one
- a clean board used for nothing else
Directions
- Keep it very cold at every stage, on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge, and work quickly.
- Use a board and knife kept for this and nothing else, and wash your hands and everything else thoroughly. It must be genuinely sharp, and a long single-bevel yanagiba is the traditional tool.
- Cut across the grain of the fish, at a slight angle. For firm fish like tuna, cut hira-zukuri: straight rectangular slices about 1 cm thick.
- Shred the daikon as finely as you possibly can and soak it in iced water for 10 minutes, then drain it well.
- Arrange the slices overlapping against a mound of daikon and a shiso leaf.
- Serve it cold but not fridge-cold, and slice it as close to serving as you can. Stirring wasabi into the dish of soy is common everywhere and is considered poor form in Japan, because it muddies both.
- Dip the fish, not the daikon, and dip the fish side rather than soaking it.
Technique
- Freshwater fish are generally not eaten raw in Japan because of parasite risk.
- Sashimi predates sushi and is eaten as a course in its own right rather than with rice.
- The order of eating runs from lighter white fish to richer oily ones.
Substitutions
- Commercially frozen sashimi-quality fish, which is often safer than fresh.
- Prepared wasabi paste, accepting that it is horseradish.
Variations
- Tataki, seared briefly on the outside.
- Aburi, torched on the surface.
- Served as a moriawase, a mixed platter of several fish.
History
The name means pierced body, from the Muromachi habit of pinning the fish’s own fin to sliced flesh so diners knew the species.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sashimi?
Sashimi is a main from Japan: pristine slices of raw fish served with soy sauce and wasabi. The name means pierced body, from the Muromachi habit of pinning the fish’s own fin to sliced flesh so diners knew the species.
How long does Sashimi take to make?
Sashimi takes 30 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Sashimi?
Yes, within limits. Commercially frozen sashimi-quality fish, which is often safer than fresh. Prepared wasabi paste, accepting that it is horseradish.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sashimi?
Use a board and knife kept for this and nothing else, and wash your hands and everything else thoroughly. It must be genuinely sharp, and a long single-bevel yanagiba is the traditional tool.
