Sashimi (刺身)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Yanagiba (long sashimi knife), or a long very sharp slicing knife
• •Clean non-porous cutting board reserved for fish
• •Clean damp cloth for wiping the blade
• •Chilled serving plates

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the fish

   Buy fish from a fishmonger you trust, and ask plainly what came in today that they would eat raw. It should look wet and bright, smell clean and faint, and feel firm, not tacky. If it smells strongly of the sea, cook it instead. Sashimi has nothing hidden, so tired fish has nowhere polite to stand.

   Labels like sushi-grade are not a legal guarantee in many places. A good supplier, proper cold handling, and fish meant for raw eating matter more than the sticker.
2. 2

   Chill everything

   Keep the fish refrigerated until the last moment. Chill the plate, board, and knife for a few minutes if the room is warm. Cold fish cuts cleanly and stays glossy; warm fish softens under the blade and smears, which dulls both the look and the taste.

3. 3

   Prepare the garnish

   Shred the daikon as finely as you can, rinse it briefly in cold water, then drain it well. The rinse keeps it crisp and clean-tasting, and the drained mound gives the slices a cool place to rest. Grate the wasabi just before serving if using fresh root, because its fragrance fades quickly.

4. 4

   Trim the block

   Pat the fish dry with clean paper towels and trim away sinew, bloodline, ragged edges, or any dull surface. This is not wastefulness. A neat block gives you even slices, and removing strong-tasting parts keeps the flavor clean.

5. 5

   Slice in one pull

   Set the fish with the grain running left to right, then draw the knife from heel to tip in one long pull, about 6mm thick for tuna and yellowtail, a little thinner for lean white fish. Do not saw. Sawing bruises the flesh and leaves a rough face; one clean motion leaves a smooth, glistening cut that carries the flavor gently. Let the knife do the seasoning.

   A yanagiba, the long sashimi knife, is made for this single pull. A long, very sharp slicing knife can stand in at home, if you wipe it clean between cuts.
6. 6

   Plate with space

   Set a small mound of shredded daikon to one side of each chilled plate, add a shiso leaf if using, and arrange the fish in odd-numbered groups with a little height. Do not pile it. Leave at least a third of the plate empty, because ma, the quiet space around the food, lets the cut and color be seen.

7. 7

   Serve at once

   Bring the sashimi to the table immediately with small dishes of shōyu and a little wasabi. Dip the fish lightly, fish side down, rather than soaking the rice-free slice in soy. The sauce is there to point at the fish, not cover it.

Chef Tips

• •Befriend the fish counter and ask one question: what came in today that you'd eat raw? A good monger tells you the truth, and on a bad day they'll talk you out of it. That answer matters more than a heroic knife.
• •Keep the fish cold, the board clean, and the knife wiped between cuts. Cold, clean steel parts the flesh instead of dragging it, and you'll see the difference on the face of every slice.
• •Do not drown sashimi in soy sauce. Touch one edge to the shōyu, add a little wasabi if you like, and eat it while the surface still shines.
• •If the fish you found is not right for raw eating, change the dish. Grill it with salt or simmer it gently. There is no shame in cooking good fish, only in pretending poor fish is sashimi.

Advance Preparation

• •Buy the fish the day you plan to serve it, keep it very cold, and slice it just before serving.
• •The daikon can be shredded up to 2 hours ahead. Hold it in cold water, then drain and pat it dry before plating.
• •Do not slice sashimi ahead for a dinner party. The cut surface is the dish, and it dulls as it sits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)