All sushi lovers probably know that sometimes this dish is very expensive. Fortunately, you can easily make equally delicious sushi at home. However, you need to be careful and follow some simple rules when buying, storing and preparing fish. This will help you avoid food poisoning and ensure that your food tastes great.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Choosing and storing fish correctly
Step 1. Buy fish only from trusted locations
Talk to fish sellers at your nearest store or pavilion to find out which fish is best for sushi. It is important to mention that you are planning on eating raw fish. Buy thawed fish as the freezing process kills all parasites.
Salesman may offer you thawed fish or frozen fish that will need to be thawed at home just before cooking.
Step 2. Pay attention to the conditions in the fish department or pavilion
If you buy fish from an unverified seller, and you do not know whether he butches it with his own hands or receives it already in the form of fillets, see if there is a place behind the counter for cutting or ask the seller. It is better to buy fish that is cut locally, as there is less risk that it was cut or stored incorrectly. Watch the fish cutting process. The seller should change gloves regularly and disinfect knives and cutting boards.
If the seller offers you fish that is specifically intended for sushi, then it should be stored separately from the rest of the product. Also, the seller should change gloves before handling the sushi fish
Step 3. Choose a fish
Ask the seller to suggest several fish to choose from. The fish should not emit an unpleasant odor, which indicates the staleness of the product. If the fish is sold with the head, then in this case its eyes should be transparent and bright, and not dull and cloudy.
The seller can take the fish in hand to show it to you. If the fish remains as straight as a stick, it is very fresh.
If it sags, then it is not very good.
Step 4. Store your fish properly
Try to use the purchased fish as quickly as possible. The longer the fish is kept in the refrigerator, the more bacteria it grows in. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within 24 hours. You can also freeze and thaw fish just before preparing the sushi.
- To safely defrost fish, remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. There should be plenty of free space around the fish so that cold air can circulate constantly.
- Freeze fish only if it has not been frozen before. Check with your retailer, as many stores sell thawed fish.
Part 2 of 2: Butcher fish for sushi
Step 1. Trim the tip of the triangular portion of the fillet
Take a sharp sushi knife and cut a triangular piece from a piece of fish. When cooking yellowfin tuna, the size of the triangular piece should be about 3 by 8 centimeters.
The triangular part is very delicate and there are no tendons in it, so you it will not be difficult to cut it off.
Step 2. Cut off the top layer of the fish
Move about 3 centimeters down from where you cut the triangle. Using a sushi knife, carefully cut the fish horizontally. You should end up with a piece that is about 3 centimeters wide and 10-13 centimeters long (depending on the size of the fish).
This part of the fish can be used in sashimi or nigiri, as it contains tendons that need to be chewed for a long time
Step 3. Remove all the tendons from the fish
Fillets penetrate white tendons. They look like streaks that run diagonally from the top of the tuna to the skin. To get rid of them, cut the fish lengthwise close to the skin. At the same time, try not to hit the skin with the blade, as it also has tendons. Instead, pull the fish to one side with your hand and use a knife to separate the tendons.
It is also necessary to cut the skin from the other half of the fillet, while keeping the knife parallel to the skin. Make an incision between the skin / tendons and fish fillets
Step 4. Scrape off the remaining meat from the skin
Spread the peel out on a cutting board with the cut side up. Take a teaspoon and scrape the meat off your skin. You will get small and tender pieces of fish that are great for rolls.
If large pieces of fish remain on the spoon, make sure there are no small tendons in them
If you come across large pieces of fish, scrape them with a spoon, so that there are no pieces of tendon left on them.
Step 5. Slice the fish for sashimi
Take the triangular piece of fish that you cut off earlier. Place it on a cutting board with the pointed end facing up. Use a sharp sushi knife to cut it in half. It is necessary to cut the triangle very accurately to get two identical parts. Cut each of the resulting pieces into three pieces. As a result, you can make six sashimi.
A large piece of fish can be used to make nine sashimi. You will end up with thin pieces of fish that you can serve right away
Step 6. Slice the nigiri fish
Take the second piece of fish, which should be about 3 by 10 centimeters. If this part of the fillet is not beveled on one side, take a knife and carefully cut the first piece at a 45-degree angle. Then step back half a centimeter from the edge and cut another one at the same angle. Similarly, you should slice all the fish.
Each piece of nigiri should weigh about 30–45 grams. The pieces should be thin and uniform
Step 7. Slice the fish for the rolls
Take the two pieces of fish that are closest to the skin and cut them into small pieces or cubes. These pieces are best for making rice rolls. Cut the fish into small pieces that are easy to eat.
If you are making rolls with several ingredients, chop the fish very finely
So the filling will be more convenient to wrap in rice and eat.