lauttimur.com - Sashimi is a Japanese dish that consists of thinly sliced raw fish or seafood, often served with garnishes such as daikon radish, shiso leaves, or shredded Japanese ginger. The fish used for sashimi is usually very fresh and of high quality, as the flavour and texture of the fish are essential to the dish. 

Some popular types of fish used for sashimi include tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and mackerel, although many other types of seafood can also be used. Sashimi is typically served with soy sauce and wasabi, and is often enjoyed as a part of a formal Japanese meal or as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants.

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Here are 7 surprising facts about sashimi:

1.    Traditional Japanese dish
Sashimi was originally created as a way to preserve fish. The practice of eating raw fish began in the Edo period (1603 - 1868) in Japan. Sashimi becoming popular dish in United State when Japanese cuisine began to gain popularity outside of Asia. 

2.    Made of Thinly Sliced Raw Fish
The word sashimi comes from Japanese word, “sashi” and “mimono” which means “piercing body” and “to cut “lengthwise”. The sashimi slashing is done with a very sharp knife, in order to get the thin and even slices. The thickness of the slices can be different depend on the type of sashimi. 

3.    Serve as an Appetizer
This dish is typically served as the first course in a traditional Japanese meal. It is often served with soy sauce, wasabi, and other garnishes like green onion and radishes.

4.    Different from Sushi
Sashimi and sushi are a completely different dish. There are some key differences between these two Japanese dishes. Sushi is made from vinegared rice, while sashimi is not. Sushi also typically contains other ingredients, like vegetables and fruits, while sashimi does not. 

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5.    Can be Made from Meat
Sashimi is often referred as a seafood dish, but sashimi is also sometimes made from beef meat. The most commonly used sashimi beef is marbled Wagyu beef. The meat is cut into slices, and this sashimi beef is praised for its thin ribbons of fat.

6.    Sashimi Cutting is An Art
Cutting sashimi is considered as a culinary art. There are certain methods and style to slice the seafood. The most common sashimi slicing is called hira zukuri, where the seafood is cut into 3/8-inch slices.

7.    Can be Served Alive
The unsual dining experience you can get is when the seafood is still alive when it arrive at your dinner table. The way of serving this sashimi is called as ikizukuri, it can be fish, shrimp, squid, octopus or even lobster. This seafood would be paralyzed by having a spike inserted to its brain and then it is cut up while alive.

Sashimi is not just a dish, but it is also an art and culture for Japanese people. While sashimi is now are widely known worldwide, we still should put some respect to it. Enjoy your sashimi eating experience!

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