Sashimi

Sashimi(刺身,English:/səˈʃiːmi/sə-SHEE-mee,Japanese:[saɕimiꜜ])is aJapanese delicacyconsisting of freshraw fishormeatsliced into thin pieces and often eaten withsoy sauce.
The wordsashimimeans 'pierced body', i.e., "刺身" =sashimi, where刺し=sashi(pierced, stuck) and身=mi(body, meat). This word dates from theMuromachi period(1336-1573)and there are multiple theories as to its etymology:
The term was possibly coined when the word "切る" =kiru(cut), the culinary step, was considered too inauspicious to be used by anyone other than asamurai. This word may derive from the culinary practice of sticking the fish's tail and fin to the slices for the purpose of identifying the fish being eaten.
Another possibility for the name is the traditional method of harvesting. "Sashimi-grade" fish is caught by individual handline. As soon as the fish is landed, its brain is pierced with a sharp spike, and it is placed in slurried ice. This spiking is called theikejimeprocess, and the instantaneous death means that the fish's flesh contains a minimal amount oflactic acid. This means that the fish will keep fresh on ice for about ten days, without turning white or otherwise degrading.
Many non-Japanese use the termssashimiandsushiinterchangeably, but the two dishes are distinct and separate. Sushi refers to any dish made with vinegared rice. While raw fish is one traditional sushi ingredient, many sushi dishes contain seafood that has been cooked, and others have no seafood at all, including ingredients like seaweed and vegetables.Sashimi,by contrast, is always served on its own.Although Japan has long had the custom of eating fish raw, the idea of serving it as a beautifully arranged dish is thought to have come from China, probably around theKamakura period(1185–1333). An early cookbook in Japanese, written in 1489, directs that the raw flesh should be sliced and mixed with vinegar and seasonings such as salt and herbs.
An early western description of sashimi comes from a letter written by the futureAdmiral of the Fleet,Sir Arthur Wilsonof theRoyal Navy, who was assigned to the British naval mission to Japan in the late 1860s: "It is a peculiar sort of fish, which they cut in very thin slices and serve up with some sort of sauce over it. It is considered a great delicacy. I have tried it and did not find it bad, but the idea is not nice."
Sashimiis often served early in a formal Japanese meal but it can also be served in a sashimi set meal, presented withriceandmiso soupin separate bowls. Japanese chefs considersashimithe finest dish in Japanese formal dining and recommend that it be eaten before other strong flavors affect thepalate.
The sliced seafood that composes the main ingredient is typically draped over a garnish. The typical garnish is Asian white radish,daikon, shredded into long thin strands, or single leaves of the herbshiso(perilla).Garnishes for sashimi are generally calledtsumaand may also include slices of other raw vegetables, such as cucumbers and carrots, as well as seaweeds, flowers and leaves and stems of other plants.
Sashimiis popularly served with a dipping sauce (soy sauce) and condiments such aswasabipaste, grated freshginger,garior pickled ginger,grated freshgarlic, orponzufor meatsashimi, and such garnishes as shiso and shredded daikon radish.
Wasabi paste is sometimes mixed directly into soy sauce as a dipping sauce, which is generally not done when eatingsushi(which itself normally includeswasabi). A reputed motivation for serving wasabi withsashimiand alsogari, besides its flavor, is killing harmful bacteria and parasites that could be present in raw seafood.
To highlight the delicate flavor as well as for texture, the chef cuts fish into different thicknesses by variety of the fish, its age and by the season.Thehira-zukuricut (literally 'flat slice'), is the standard cut for mostsashimi. Typically this style of cut is the size of a domino and10 mm (3⁄8in) thick. Tuna, salmon, and kingfish are most commonly cut in this style. Theusu-zukuricut (literally 'thin slice'), is an extremely thin, diagonally cut slice that is mostly used to cut firm fish, such as bream, whiting, and flounder. The dimensions of this cut are usually 50 mm (2 in) long and2 mm (1⁄16in) wide. Thekaku-zukuricut (literally 'square slice'), is the style in whichsashimiis cut into small cubes that are20 mm (3⁄4in) on each side. Theito-zukuricut (literally 'thread slice'), is the style in which the fish is cut into fine strips, less than2 mm (1⁄16in) in diameter. The fish typically cut with theito-zukuristyle include garfish and squid;squid dish prepared inito-zukuriis also calledika sōmenand is dipped in dashi ormen-tsuyulike eatingsōmennoodle.
Popular main ingredients for sashimi include:
Some sashimi ingredients, such as octopus, are sometimes served cooked given their chewy nature. Most seafood, such as tuna, salmon, and squid, are served raw.Tataki(たたき or 叩き, 'pounded') is a type of sashimi that is quickly and lightlysearedon the outside, leaving it raw inside.
Food cut into small pieces and eaten with wasabi and soy sauce may be called sashimi in Japan, including the following ingredients. Like bamboo shoots, the food is enjoyed raw to appreciate the freshness, and producers and farmers offer those sashimi at their properties in top season. Some of the vegetables are enjoyed as thin sliced strips and called sashimi while they resemble fish meat, like avocado as salmon and konnyaku as puffer fish.
Less common, but not unusual, sashimi ingredients are vegetarian items, such asyuba(bean curd skin), and raw red meats, such asbeef(known asgyuunotataki) orhorse(known asbasashi).Chicken"sashimi" (known astoriwasa) is considered by someto be a delicacy; theNagoyakōchin,Frenchpoulet de Bresseand its American derivative, theblue foot chicken, are favored by many for this purpose, as, besides their taste, they are certified to be free ofSalmonella.Chicken sashimi is sometimes slightly braised or seared on the outside.
Beef, pork, andpoultry: bought from licensed butchers and processors, those were served raw, and cases are that the restaurant offer slightly cooked meat as sashimi to avoid high risk of food poisoning and parasite infection, by treating meat in boiling water (yubiki) or braised with gas torch (aburi). Served withponzucitrus vinegar.
As araw food, consuming sashimi can result infoodborne illnesswhen bacteria or parasites are present; for example,anisakiasisis a disease caused by the accidental ingestion of larvalnematodesin the familyAnisakidae, primarilyAnisakissimplexbut alsoPseudoterranova decipiens.In addition, incorrectly preparedFugufish may containtetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin.
Another type of food borne illness that could occur after consuming tainted sashimi isDiphyllobothriasis. This disease is an infection within the intestines that occurs when the tapewormDiphyllobothrium latumis consumed. Common fish such as trout, salmon, pike, and sea bass harbor this parasitic larva in their muscles. Since the innovation of the chilled transport system paired with the salmon and trout consumption, an increasing number of cases have been recorded annually in northern Japan due to the spread of this disease.
Traditionally, fish that spend at least part of their lives inbrackishor fresh water were considered unsuitable for sashimi because of the possibility of parasites. For example, salmon, ananadromousfish, is not traditionally eaten straight out of the river.A study inSeattle, Washington, showed that all wild salmon hadroundwormlarvae capable of infecting people, while farm-raised salmon did not have any roundworm larvae.However a study commissioned by the Pew Foundation found that total organic contaminants were consistently and significantly more concentrated in the farmed salmon as a group than in wild salmon.
Freezing is often used to kill parasites. According to aEuropean Unionregulation,freezing fish at −20 °C (−4 °F) for 24 hours kills parasites.TheU.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) recommends freezing at −35 °C (−31 °F) for 15 hours, or at −20 °C (−4 °F) for 7 days.
WhileCanadadoes not federally regulate freezing fish,British ColumbiaandAlbertavoluntarily adhere to guidelines similar to the FDA's.Ontarioattempted to legislate freezing as part of raw food handling requirements, though this was soon withdrawn due to protests by the industry that the subtle flavors and texture of raw fish would be destroyed by freezing. Instead, Ontario has decided to consider regulations on how raw fish must be handled prior to serving.
Some fish for sashimi are treated withcarbon monoxideto keep the flesh red for a longer time in storage. This practice can makespoiledfish appear fresh.
Eatingchicken sashimiis a seriousfood poisoningrisk. Despite it being on menus, it is hard to find, and many chefs cook it incorrectly. Chicken sashimi is also often sourced at certain restaurants from the thigh, liver and outer breast.
With the constant amount of fishing, bluefin tuna population rates have been steadily declining. A proposed solution has been farming bluefin tuna in fisheries. Historically, this has posed a problem in that the captive fish are not raised from spawn, but rather from small wild fish that are netted and transported to the farms, mostly in the Mediterranean.However, Japanese scientists have found a way to successfully breed and raise the fish entirely in captivity.