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Salmon and tuna sashimi with chili and kemangi, or local basil. (JG Photo/Petty Elliott)
Sashimi is sliced raw fish dish that is best served fresh. Imported salmon, local tuna and snapper are the common fishes available all year round which you can buy in a Japanese supermarket or enjoy in many Japanese restaurants around the city.
Everything related to the preparation of sashimi is done with elaborate care from obtaining the freshest fish to slicing it, to deciding on appropriate condiments, garnishes and dipping sauce and last but not least making an attractive arrangement.
Sashimi is usually served on individual shallow dishes or plates, in slices up to one centimeter thick. Five or six rectangular slices rest like fallen dominos against a high bed of crisp, shred-cut white radish and a garnish of delicate heart-shaped shiso leaves.
Somewhere in the arrangement is a tiny cone of spicy condiment pale green wasabi or horseradish and light pink grated young ginger root. The use of dipping sauce is to enhance the natural flavor of the raw fish. The sauce is basically soy sauce that is poured into small individual bowls. Add the wasabi and mix with chopstick before dipping the sashimi and enjoy.
Another popular way of serving sashimi is to cut paper-thin slices of fish and arrange them in a rosette or flower pattern on a platter. With paper-thin slices, it is best to serve with soy sauce mixed with Ponzu, a Japanese citrus, which gives light tangy flavor.
In Manado, we have gohu ikan which is also known as gohu. Gohu is raw sliced papaya marinated with ginger, chili, sugar and vinegar. Gohu ikan is raw fish served with a mixture of finely chopped, shallots, chili, kemangi or local basil and lemon cui or calamansi. You may replace the calamansi with a touch of vinegar or lime juice if you like.
Normally local yellowfin tuna is used for this dish. But bonito or skipjack tuna or cakalang also is good. The sauce gives wonderful flavor with spicy citrus and fragrant basil — a far cry from classic Japanese sashimi.
For this week’s recipe I have yellowfin tuna and salmon sashimi with a spicy dressing.
If you make this dish in advance and keep refrigerated for a couple of hours you will have the texture of the fish and taste similar to Peruvian ceviche or Kinilaw in the Philippines — where the fish is cooked in the acidity of lime or calamansi with tangy and spicy flavors.
Enjoy!
Salmon and tuna sashimi with chili and kemangi
This is very easy to make and it is absolutely delicious. It is very important to use the freshest salmon and tuna. Serves four.
Ingredients
•200 grams each salmon and tuna fillet of sashimi quality, buy from Japanese supermarket.
•300 grams daikon or raw green papaya, peeled and finely shredded and kept refrigerated until you need it.
•4 rectangle serving plates, chill in the refrigerator for around one hour prior.
•Dressing: 3 long red chili pepppers, sliced; 5 shallots, peeled and chopped; a bunch of kemangi or local basil, chopped; juice of 3-4 calamansi or 2 limes; salt; kemangi leaves for garnish.
Directions:
1. Put the sliced chili, chopped onion and basil into a medium bowl. Add the calamansi juice and season with salt.
2. Slice the tuna and salmon fillet with thin slices around 0.2cm thickness.
3. Put some of the chilli mixture on the fish and arrange them in a rosette or flower pattern.
4. Place the finely shredded daikon on four individual serving dishes. Place 5 or 6 flower-shaped fillet sashimi on the top of the daikon using chopsticks or your finger to arrange slices.
5. Drizzle left over dressing on top of each fish. Garnish with chillies, chopped onion and mini kemangi or local basil and serve immediately.
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