Japanese cuisine is famous for its healthy and tasty dishes, as well as strict table etiquette. Our articles will help you learn how to eat with chopsticks and set the table in Japanese style, as well as, of course, prepare delicious and healthy dishes.
Fish for sushi
How to choose the right fish.
The Japanese are known to love fish that live in the kingdom of the Pacific Ocean, nutritious, fatty, and mainly tuna. Tuna has several degrees of fat content: fatty, semi-fat and very fatty.
The fish is plastered with a special knife bento, in our case we can use a regular fillet knife with a very sharply sharpened tip. In principle, any fish will do, but the fewer hours have passed since it was caught, the better. That is, the fish should be Very fresh. This is why the Japanese do not like to go to sushi bars in the evenings - after all, fish markets are open only in the morning, and for a Japanese, “gloppy” sushi is like warm vodka for a self-respecting Russian.
Even a complete amateur can easily figure out whether the fish has been in the store’s warehouses for a couple of days or has just been caught. Here are the signs of good quality of fresh fish:
The gills of fresh fish are bright red, but if they are bled, the color of the gills will be lighter. The gills of frozen fish are grayish with a reddish tint.
Fresh fish has a clean and mild smell that is specific to a particular type of fish, and, of course, varies depending on the body of water in which it was caught.
The eyes of fresh fish are light and somewhat convex, the cornea of the eyes is transparent.
The meat is elastic to the touch, the scales are difficult to separate, the mucus is transparent, there is no unpleasant odor. You can correctly assess the quality of raw fish based on the consistency of its meat in a very simple way: how soon will the dimple that forms on the back of the fish from light pressure on it with your finger disappear (and whether it disappears at all). The sooner and more completely the hole disappears, the better the quality of the fish.
Fresh fish should have bright colors and shiny scales. The degree of brightness of the color largely depends on how long the fish has been stored and whether it was stored raw or dry. When frozen, the color of the fish fades.
If the fish is fresh, mucus covers its entire skin in an even layer. In addition, you should check the degree of adhesion of meat to bones (ease of separation of vertebral and rib bones from fish meat). The harder the meat is to separate from the bones, the better the consistency.
But the main thing we will tell you is our own nose: the chosen fish should smell like the sea. If this does not happen, the merchant must be sent away. If the fish is sold cut into pieces, then, of course, you will no longer be able to see the eye. In this case, rely on your fingertips, sixth sense and reputation of the store. This is especially true when purchasing salmon, tuna, etc. - fish too big to be sold whole, and too expensive to afford a mistake. The surface of the fillet should be juicy and slightly shiny, but never dry. Of course, there remains the risk that a cunning trader will soak the old fish before throwing it on the counter. In this case, try to break it - the “fake” will crawl apart in indistinct wet pieces. If the fillet is sold on a tray, lift the fish and check if it has made a “puddle”.
The exception is salmon. As we have already said, this fish is considered “unclean”, and the Japanese themselves always slightly smoke it before eating it. Even if you bought Very fresh fish - do not relax: it is important to properly preserve it until cooking. When you bring your purchase home, rinse the fish and wrap it tightly in cellophane film. Store in the refrigerator without freezing and remove from there no earlier than 10 minutes before cooking.
Defrosting.
Frozen fillets are frozen in air (at the same time it loses 4-7% of its juice), but only to the extent that it can be cut into slices. The fillet only needs to be minimally hygienically processed - cut off the damaged edges, clean it of dirt, and quickly rinse it. The more juice is retained in the fish, the more flavorful and nutritious the dish will be. It is advisable to thaw sea fish in salted water: salt water has a beneficial effect on sea fish. The meat of fish thawed in this way becomes juicier, lighter and softer.
Cleaning scaly fish presents certain difficulties. The fish is placed on a cutting board and the tail part is held with the left hand, and the scales are removed with the right hand using a knife or other device. It is better to scrape off the scales by immersing the fish in water. To prevent the fish from slipping, you need to lightly dip your fingers in salt.
Evisceration.
An incision is made on the belly of the fish, from the head to the exit. Take out the liver with the gall bladder lying near the head, which should be removed very carefully so as not to rupture it, otherwise the fish will taste bitter. Then the rest of the insides are taken out. On the inside of the spine, the remaining blood is removed and the film is removed. Clean the film by wiping the peritoneal cavity with salt and a cloth. The fish is carefully washed several times without bending it.
Layering.
Layering consists of three techniques:
1. removal of the dorsal fin;
2. cutting the fillet from the vertebral bone on both sides;
3. cutting the fillet from the rib bones.
The prepared fish is placed on the table on its side, with the tail to the left, pressed tightly to the table with the left hand, and with the right hand, an incision is made under the pectoral fin to the vertebral bone and, turning the knife with the blade from right to left, pressing it to the vertebral bone and pressing the right part with the hand, carefully cut off flesh from the bone all the way to the tail. Separate the fillet from the vertebral bone, then turn the fish bone side down and repeat the same operation with the second fillet. Then you need to make an incision at the base of the tail, grab the skin with your left hand, insert a knife between the skin and the flesh and separate them from each other with a slight rocking movement.
How to cut fish correctly.
The Japanese distinguish three ways of cutting fish for sushi (depending on the type of fish and method of preparation), and each requires skill. It all depends on how hard the material being processed is. It’s easy to learn to feel when which method is needed. It's much more difficult to fill your hand.
Cut fish ONLY on a wooden board. Any other boards will simply ruin yours Very Sharp Knives, without which it is better not to get down to business at all. In most cases, when cutting fish, you should simply drag the knife back and forth by the handle; the weight of the blade itself will do the rest. If the knife does not slide through with sufficient ease, you have every reason to doubt either the quality of your fish or the sharpness of your knife.
First, you should get a “loaf” of fish meat 2-3 cm wide and 6-7 cm high (the length is not important), which you “plane” into slices 3-4 mm thick. IMPORTANT: cut at an angle of 30-45 degrees to the direction of the meat fibers, in this case the fatty veins will be slightly exposed - and your sushi will be especially whole, beautiful and tasty. If you cut along the grain, the meat will begin to spread. If it is across, you will kill all the taste.
Main types of fish used in sushi.
Tuna- “King of Sushi.” Do you know what Pacific tuna is? No, you don't know what Pacific tuna is. When a lone fisherman, challenging industrial tuna fishing vessels, goes to sea on a fragile boat, he knows very well that he may not return. This fish is not caught, it is hunted, in the manner of Hemingway's Old Man. If a person wins, then at the Tsukiji fish market he will receive up to a million yen for one two-meter carcass. This carcass will be sold entirely at six in the morning to the owner of an elite Tokyo sushi bar and cut into an incredible number of slices. Each of them, coupled with rice and the skill of the cook, will cost 100-200 yen, and together they will bring the establishment three times the profit. It is from tuna that most varieties of sushi are prepared, from simple maguro(red meat) and up to fatty belly delicacies toro.
Storms- “yellow-tailed lakedra.” This is what this fish is called in Russian, although no one has ever heard such a word. The especially tender pink meat invariably conquers the stomachs of foreigners visiting Japan. For us, Japanese scholars, it still remains a mystery which of the compatriots the great Russian poet Lermontov had in mind when he wrote the immortal lines: “And he, the rebellious one, asks storms as if in storms there is peace." It turns out that Mikhail Yuryevich was familiar not only with Caucasian cuisine, but also with Japanese...
Salmon– the fish, as we know, is purely Russian, no matter how supporters of the revision of land and water boundaries try to dispute this. It spawns on Sakhalin, and is caught every now and then by Japanese poachers swimming into our waters. Perhaps it is the political flavor that makes salmon especially popular among Russian eaters. Moreover, which is typical, this is the only fish that is slightly smoked during the cooking process - just like a pig, salmon is considered “unclean”. Another feature: salmon sushi is not dipped in soy sauce. Instead, at the client’s request, the cook can flavor the slice with a drop of mayonnaise and onion. In Japanese, salmon is called sake; apparently, in order to avoid misunderstandings, in practice it is called the foreign word salmon.
Let’s say right away that in Russia they no longer prepare sushi and rolls from raw fish! And we will try to tell you everything in more detail in this article! How many restaurateurs and chefs of various establishments have paid attention to the unusual taste, simplicity of ingredients and speed of their preparation.
Sushi.
Sushi is a popular Japanese dish in Russia. If translated from Chinese, this hieroglyph means fish in a marinade. Initially, rice was used for long-term storage of fish; it lay wrapped in rice for more than two months, after which it was suitable for consumption for another year. Then the process of making fish in marinade was simplified, vinegar and various seasonings began to be added to rice, and they began to use it raw in sushi. It only took a few minutes to prepare the new dish, and the result was a savory taste.
The sushi recipe is not complicated; various ingredients are added to specially prepared rice. Sauce is added to short-grain Japanese rice. It is also boiled in Japanese style, washed well in a closed container, using a minimum of water, without adding salt, then allowed to cool in a special tub, from a well-cooled product such a magnificent dish is obtained, using various fillings: ocean fish (tuna, mackerel, salmon) ; seafood (squid, octopus, shrimp); vegetables (fermented soybeans, avocado, cucumber, asparagus); red meat, soy sauce, wasabi, rice vinegar.
In Russia, this dish is usually made from ingredients that are frozen for a long time. Already in sushi bars and restaurants, fish are cooled using nitrogen; this method allows you to completely kill all bacteria and microorganisms. Sushi is safe if I add smoked or boiled fish as a special ingredient. Another health risk is the heavy metals (mercury) that some marine fish, such as tuna, contain. It is recommended to eat such sushi once a month. In general, in Japan, making sushi is an art; it takes several years to learn.
Rolls.
One type of sushi is rolls. Their peculiarity is that they are rolled into a bamboo mat in the shape of a cylinder, then cut into pieces. Their filling is wrapped in a sheet of nori (pressed seaweed) or soy paper. Rolls are also divided into several types:
- traditional, in which salmon, eel, crab are covered with rice and wrapped in a sheet of nori;
- rolls offered by the chef himself, variations of this dish are different;
- baked rolls are made at high temperatures and are very safe;
- Tempura rolls, cooked in boiling oil, they are characterized by crunch;
- California rolls, the filling consists mainly of vegetables and crab meat, other seafood can also be used;
- Philadelphia rolls, their peculiarity is that the rice is turned inside out, vegetables are added to the filling, and the outside is wrapped in slices of fresh salmon fillet;
- Unagi rolls, these are small rolls, usually wrapped in nori, fried eel.
The difference between sushi androlls.
Their main difference is in the form: rolls are small rolls, reminiscent of a cylinder shape, a bamboo mat is always used for their preparation, and to prepare sushi, it is enough to form an oval from rice, add sauce, cover with a piece of fresh fish or shrimp, and tie with a seaweed ribbon. Every Japanese will say that the main thing for this dish is the filling, fortunately there is now a great variety of it, a huge combination of flavors. One thing they have in common is the presence of properly cooked rice, the addition of spices and seasonings.
Sushi androllsprepared from raw fish in Russia?
Our visitors are interested.
1. How to prepare sushi with fish?
1.1. Eel nigiri recipe
1.2. Standard method for preparing rolls
2. Features of raw fish
3. Is the eel a fish or a snake?
4. What can replace fish?
Japanese cuisine attracts with its uniqueness and color; the huge variety of ingredients allows the chef to realize his culinary fantasies. The main ingredient is rice; it goes well with seafood, meat, vegetables, and fish. The last component is the most popular after rice. Most people associate sushi with raw fish, but it is often stewed and fried. For sushi, special fish is used, usually sea fish.
What kind of fish is sushi made from?
The process of preparing rolls with fish filling is practically no different from other variations. The main thing is to decide on the type of sushi, because in some types the fish is inside, and in others outside. Thus, Philadelphia rolls cannot be prepared without salmon. Smoked salmon is added to many rolls or sushi (Kunsei). Maguro rolls and many types of sushi use raw tuna as a base. Sea bass is often added to baked rolls. INexpensive restaurants meet Hamachi sushi with lakedra. The simplest type of sushi is nigiri, they consist of only a few ingredients, usually two - rice and fish, and it doesn’t matter at allwhat kind of fish is sushi made from?. Let's look at how to prepare nigiri sushi with Unagi Eel at home.
Eel nigiri recipe
The process of creating nigiri is one of the simplest in Japanese cuisine. The whole difficulty lies in preparing the rice and frying the eel, although these manipulations will take no more than 20 minutes if you bought ready-made smoked eel in vacuum packaging. If you purchased unprepared eel, it will be important to learn how to cut and cook eel. First of all, you need to choose high-quality rice; it must have good stickiness so that future rolls are dense and do not crumble. Therefore, it is better to give preference to white round-grain cereals. First you need to rinse it several times, preferably at least 7. Then you can cook the rice.
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Ingredients
Preparation time: 10 min
Number of servings: 2
Special rice for sushi;
Dressing for rice.
Smoked eel;
Nori sheet;
Soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger;
Processpreparations
Cooking time: 20 min
1. Pour the rice into a saucepan, add water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce the water to minimum and wait about 15-20 minutes.
2. At this time, you can start preparing the fish. If the eel is not cut, then you should first remove the skin from it; for this, incisions are made in the head area. After this, the skin comes off easily.
3. Next, the eel must be cut into several parts. It is important to be able to cut fish for sushi correctly, because there are several features. It is important that the pieces are boneless and have an oblong shape.
4. You need to make longitudinal ovals out of rice; when forming, you need to lightly press on them so that the grains fit snugly against each other. Place pieces of eel on top of this; you can spread wasabi between the components.
5. These two ingredients are tied with a thin strip of nori. To do this, a large sheet is cut into small ones.
The dish is served on beautiful dishes with the classic addition of soy sauce, wasabi and ginger.
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This dish is an excellent solution for a holiday table or a romantic dinner. Treat your other half to the most delicious sushi, especially if it is prepared with all your heart.
Standard method for preparing rolls
This recipe is suitable for making sushi with any filling. In our example we will use salmon, but if desired, you can use a cheaper alternative. Such rolls are sold in every sushi bar, but why overpay, because you can make them yourself.
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Ingredients
Rice;
Rice vinegar;
Nori seaweed;
Salmon;
Cream cheese;
Cucumbers.
Processpreparations
1. First you need to properly cook the rice. For these purposes, a detailed algorithm of actions is indicated on the package, or you can use a multicooker. The main thing is to ensure good stickiness of the cereal, otherwise it will disintegrate, especially after contact with soy sauce.
2. The salmon needs to be cut into pieces. If you don’t know how to cut fish for sushi, then make the layers as long and thin as possible.
3. Next, you need to use a bamboo makisu mat, on which a sheet of nori is laid out. Rice is laid out on top of it in a uniform layer; one edge should be left empty by about 2 cm. It will be needed to hold the roll together.
4. Cream cheese, fish and cucumber are placed in the center. After this, take a bamboo mat and, holding a sheet of nori, wrap the components in a roll. We distribute the load over the entire surface, we try to do it evenly, only due to this the rolls will be dense and of high quality.
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5. Cut the roll in half, and then each piece into three more pieces.
Serve the dish with soy sauce. It will reveal the taste of the components and make it richer. It is of great importance because it must be fresh and of high quality. Otherwise, you can seriously harm your health.
Features of raw fish
Raw fish is often used to make sushi. Many are attracted by the amazing and unusual taste of marine life. The Japanese approach raw foods from a philosophical point of view; they believe that heat treatment not only kills most of the beneficial elements, but also makes the taste artificial. Cooking fish for sushi is like a real ritual.
Red fish contains a large number of important substances. The presence of protein accelerates the development of the body and also activates the process of cell regeneration. Vitamins have a positive effect on all body systems. Marine fish contains an important component for the thyroid gland - iodine. Fish is especially beneficial for children and pregnant women. Ideally, the component should be consumed at least several times a week; this will not only improve overall well-being, but also reduce the likelihood of developing numerous diseases. These are the properties that sushi fish has.
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You need to buy fish only from reputable and trusted retail outlets. It is important to check the expiration date before purchasing each component, as well as analyze the appearance of the packaging. Only this will allow you to determine which fish in sushi will be the best.
Is an eel a fish or a snake?
The eel is a fish with amazing abilities that are associated with an unusual hunting method - electrocuting its prey. Moreover, the discharge is so strong that it can cause a fatal blow even to a person. Due to its elongated body and small head, the eel is often confused with a cold-blooded species. In the East, this fish is included in various dishes; it has unique taste qualities. Therefore, if you have not yet decided what kind of fish you need for sushi, you can give preference to this option.
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This ingredient can be divided into two large groups - river and sea. The first group is more preferable in cooking, since the meat of such fish is more tender and light. Eel fillet has a high energy value. It contains many useful elements, including potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamins and various acids necessary for the human body. One of the disadvantages of eel is its high cost, but the fish deserves a central place on the holiday table.
Fish for sushi used fried, stewed or boiled. To prepare it, you can use vegetable oil and various spices, but it is important not to overdo it so as not to spoil the taste. Properly selected seasonings should reveal and emphasize the taste of the component. Eel goes well with rice and vegetables, and the rolls are complemented with creamy sauce and caviar.
What can replace fish?
Rice with fish is a classic combination that gave rise to sushi in the first place. For the first time, these components were combined to preserve the freshness of the fish. However, over time, the variety of fillingsincreased. And that onewhat kind of fish is put into sushi in Japan and in the rest of the world makes a big difference. There is a huge range to choose from, it all depends on the personal preferences and abilities of the cook.
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The best substitute is seafood. Of course, their cost in some cases even exceeds that of red fish, but this does not apply to taste. Rolls with shrimp and crab meat are popular; these ingredients are light and tender and have a slight marine aftertaste. Caviar, usually from flying fish, is actively used to prepare rolls. It can be of different colors, which allows you to create amazing masterpieces on the festive table from colorful products.
One of the most budget-friendly ingredients is crab sticks. They go great with rice and vegetables. By the way, cucumbers, carrots and onions are most often used as the latter. Avocado is suitable instead of cucumber; this fruit has an unusual taste, reminiscent of a combination of butter and nut. Thanks to its nutritional value, avocados were even included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Meat is great as a filling. It is best to use red varieties, that is, pork, lamb and beef. Although chicken rolls are popular in our latitudes. For a long time, the Japanese did not eat meat, citing respect for the animal kingdom. However, after becoming acquainted with European culture, the attitude towards animal products changed.
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Sweet rolls are a delicacy and are eaten as dessert. The filling is fruit and various syrups, but the main ingredient is always rice. The dish will be a wonderful decoration for any table. Sweet rolls appeal to children and sweet tooth lovers. Preparing such sushi is even easier than previous options. It should be noted that fruits with rice are not harmful to your figure and health, but there is still no need to exaggerate.
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We looked at what kind of fish is used for sushi and how to cook it correctly. This knowledge will allow you to become a home cook and cook no worse than in expensive restaurants, and maybe even better. The main thing is not to stop there and constantly experiment, because only experience will allow you to create real masterpieces. Before buying ingredients, you need to analyze whether they will be combined. If you follow these rules, you can prepare real Japanese sushi, and the choice of components depends solely on your own preferences. Don’t forget about serving; you should give preference to dishes with an Asian theme. It is not only beautiful, but also allows you to fully experience the philosophy of Japan. Wasabi, ginger and soy sauce are the perfect combination for rolls.
Is raw fish used to make sushi safe? Every second lover of Japanese cuisine asks this question. And considering that sushi, sashimi and rolls are becoming increasingly popular today, this issue is extremely relevant.
According to the rules, if raw fish is used to prepare a dish, it must first be frozen. Then there is no danger of infection. And since in our regions the fish used for sushi and rolls is mainly imported, it is, of course, pre-frozen.
To avoid poisoning, you must remember that sushi is a perishable product that should be eaten immediately after preparation. It should not even be stored in the refrigerator. The maximum storage time is 2 hours.
If you are still afraid of infection, but do not want to give up Japanese cuisine, order sushi with thermally processed fish. In restaurants you can easily find rolls not only with raw, classic Japanese cuisine, but also with processed seafood (smoked, fried, boiled).
You will be offered sushi options with fried or boiled shrimp, smoked eel, and lightly salted salmon. You can also safely buy rolls with Japanese omelette (tomago), vegetable rolls or rolls with smoked chicken. Of all these options, you are sure to find one that suits your taste. 
Is it possible to eat sushi? (video)
Being in a metropolis (living on a permanent basis), there is not always time left for cooking. Many people don’t even consider it necessary to spend their free time (which is already very little) standing idle at the stove. Today, any large city can provide the opportunity to order food at home.
For example, ordering a sushi set today will not be difficult. This can be done either by telephone or via the Internet. However, preparing sushi takes relatively little time. If you have fresh fish in the refrigerator, why not cook a delicious dinner/lunch yourself?
Note that traditionally, only raw fish is used in sushi. In other words, ocean red fish fillets (the only ones allowed for cooking) are not even salted or smoked.
You should also understand that you need to prepare sushi only from the freshest fish. The Japanese recommend that the fish be still alive before preparing sushi. Then the dish turns out incredibly tasty and tender (and safe).
In many regions of Russia it is necessary to cook from frozen fillets. This is also acceptable, but the taste characteristics will be different.
If we are talking about preparing sushi and not rolls, then the use of nori (paper made from ocean algae) is also strictly necessary.
In addition to red fish, the classic recipe contains:
- cucumber;
- soy sauce;
- ripe avocado;
- flying fish caviar.
Finding the last ingredient even in many Russian supermarkets is not so easy. However, do not panic ahead of time - flying fish caviar is used exclusively to decorate the dish.
If you find an establishment that prepares sushi from fresh ingredients, it is unlikely that homemade sushi will be able to compare with restaurant sushi in terms of taste.
The video demonstrates how you can quickly and effortlessly prepare sushi at home:
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