2 posts tagged “sashimi”

After googling funazushi, I came across a 'dish' called Ikizukuri. (Had to read 3 times to make sure spelling was ok :-). Also known as live sashimi.

Now I like my sashimi and yes I like my fish fresh but this is a bit too much for me.

What is it?

Source: http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/articles/ikizukuri-live-sashimi.html & Wikipedia

Ikizukuri usually begins with the customer selecting, from a tank in the restaurant, the animal (shrimp, octopus, lobster, assorted fish) they wish to eat. The chef, who is most of the time a sashimi chef who has undergone years of training and apprenticeship, takes the animal out of the tank and filets and guts it, but without killing the animal, which is served on a plate, sliced, with the heart still beating.

Ikizukuri of fish consists of thin, sheet-like slices or finger-sized pieces sometimes garnished with lemon wedges, a decoration of ginger, or nori (seaweed). Squid and small octopus are usually wrapped around a chopstick and eaten whole.

Ikizukuri is a controversial method of food preparation, both in Japan and in other countries.

Live shrimp is also 'known' to be a delicacy.

Hungry anyone?

My partner knows I love japanese food. I absolutely love all kinds of sashimi, and good sushi. He recently saw a documentary on the Tokyo fish market, the Tsukiji fish market.

They showed a bit about what referred to as 'stinky fish', or funazushi. Wow, sounds interesting!?
Immediately, I googled it:

In most countries, rotten fish is thrown out. In Japan, they spend 3 or 4 years making it, and consider it an expensive luxury.

The raw fish is packed tightly in salt for a year, then dried and mixed with rice. This mixture is left to “ferment” for 3 years. The rice is changed every year, but the fish is allowed to decompose.

As you’d expect, funazushi has an overpowering smell, which discourages many people from trying it. The taste is sharp and vinegary. It can be used in soups, deep-fried in batter to make tempura, or served in green tea.

History of funazushi

Around 1000 years old, a preservation method called narezushi came to Japan from China. In Shiga, narezushi became funazushi. Fermentation was used as a way to preserve food stocks for the winter. Like many other Japanese foods (umeboshi, natto), funazushi became a national delicacy, even when fresh food became available all year round.

Funazushi is increasingly rare. As fresh fish has become available, modern sushi has been developed, reducing funazushi to novelty status. Younger Japanese people, who have more Western tastes, are less likely to develop a taste for the dubious treat. Recently, it can only be found in Shiga, and the smelly preservation technique may soon be redundant.

Source: http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/articles/funazushi.html

It does intruigue me... but wait there is more!