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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Went into town to run some errands yesterday and ran into an Aussie friend of mine who’s Captain on a long line fishing boat here. A couple of beers and a bit of a yarn later I’m headed home with two beautiful Albacore fillets, that had been part of a swimming fish which went into brine ice ten minutes after being caught about 12 hours earlier. Read more . Seven pounds of Albacore fillets is a lot but at about two dollars twenty cents US a pound why not? The first thing that came to mind was sashimi, real Hawaiian sashimi. Hawaii has a large Japanese population and lots of really fresh fish so everyone eats sashimi. During WWII, no wasabi so everyone started using Colman’s dry mustard to make their dipping sauce and after the war no one went back to wasabi and that makes it Hawaiian. Most of you will have trouble getting fish this fresh but do your best to get the freshest fish you can and avoid frozen fish if possible. Frozen fish is fine for cooking but sashimi made from frozen fish is mushy. One last point; eat your sashimi with chopsticks. Okay, the fish will taste the same but using chopsticks adds a certain ambiance that will improve the experience. If you don’t think eating A-1 grade sashimi is an experience, why make it? Goza la vida! (Enjoy life!) Ingredients:
• 1 lb (500g) fresh fish fillet. the preferred fish for hawaiian sashimi are yellow fin, albacore or big eye tuna. |
• about 1/4 cup (80ml) light soy sauce, i use kikkoman but any good quality sauce will do. |
• 1 – 2 tsp colman’s dry mustard, adjust this to taste and keep in mind that colman’s is a hot mustard. the sauce should have a bite but don’t drown the sashimi in it, just dip one edge or corner of each piece. |
• enough thinly sliced napa cabbage or grated daikon radish to cover the plate. regular cabbage will do but napa is milder. |
• 1 pair of chopsticks per person. |
Directions:
1. The dipping sauce:
2. 1. Make the dipping sauce first so it has time to set in the fridge and blend.
3. 2. Put the Colman’s in a small bowl and add a few drops of water.
4. 3. Using a spoon work the Colman’s into a smooth past, adding a few drops of water at a time. You want a nice, smooth, slightly runny past or you’ll get a lumpy dipping sauce when you add the soy sauce; a big no, no.
5. 4. When you have the Colman’s worked into a past add the soy sauce a little at a time, mixing well. Test this before you’ve added all the soy sauce and stop adding soy sauce when you like the taste. Put in the fridge while you do the fish.
6. The plate/platter: See Photo
7. 1. Thinly slice enough Napa cabbage (like coleslaw) to completely cover a large plate or small platter about half an inch (13mm) thick and arrange it on the plate/platter; or use the gradated Daikon radish See Photo. In Hawaii they usually use the cabbage.
8. The fish:
9. 1. Even if you got good fillets there may be layers in it See Photo. Separate the layers so you have a solid, un-marred hunk of fish. Make sure this is VERY cold and it will be easier to work with.
10. 2. Slice the sashimi. You want your pieces of sashimi to be about 2” X 2” (50 X 50mm) to 3” X 3” (75 X 75mm) inches wide by long and about 1/16” (6mm) thick; in the US think the thickness of a dime. They can be thicker but thin is better.
11. 3. Layer the pieces, stair step fashion, on the prepared plate of cabbage, see picture.
12. 4. Arm yourself with your chopsticks and chow down.
13. I often serve this with Soba or Udon (Japanese soft noodles) in a cold, spiced, mild fish or chicken stock as a snack. Warm sake is very nice but a cold, Pilsner type beer is good. Douzo omeshiagari kudasai. (enjoy your food).
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