Please note, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, and some links below are affiliate links where I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. I have used all the products listed below and recommend them because they are quality products and companies I trust.
What is sashimi?
Sashimi is raw-cut fish that is common in Japan. It usually comes with an accompanying sauce.
What is sashimi-grade fish?
The quality and price of the fish determine whether it’s sashimi-grade. Sashimi grade means that fish has a stamp of approval to eat raw. Seafood mongers break down fish, access it, and rank it before being sold to purveyors. This ranking system is quite detailed but generally falls under the following assessments:
- Initial appearance
- Size and shape
- Color
- Texture
- Fat content
All raw fish undergo these assessments before landing at your local seafood market. Make friends with your local seafood purveyor to score the freshest and highest quality fish!
What is the difference between sashimi and sushi?
The Japanese word sashimi encompasses raw fish. Sushi also hails from Japan and means prepared (cooked with a combination of salt, sugar, and vinegar) sushi rice, often served with fish, meat, or vegetables.
Why I chose to create this Salmon, Yellowtail, and Toro Jalapeño Sashimi recipe.
This dish is a derivation of a beloved and cult classic version of Chef and restaurateur Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa’s Yellowtail Sashimi Jalapeño cold traditional appetizers. This dish is served at most Nobu’s and Matsihisa’s worldwide. I wanted to create my version of the dish by adding toro and salmon sashimi and creating a more heat-induced spiked version of a ponzu sauce.
What is salmon sashimi?
- It’s best to consult a notable fish or seafood market to ensure the salmon cut you buy is indeed sushi-grade.
- Many different types and cuts of salmon sell in the US as “sushi-grade, and I do not recommend determining this on your own.
What is yellowtail fish?
- Yellowtail is confusing because it can be labeled under tuna, sole, and flounder.
- However, it is most widely known as being in the Amberjack family, which is very similar to tuna.
- It is often mistaken for being in the tuna family but actually in the “Jack” family.
- It’s a member of fish called Amberjack.
- The Amberjack farmed and caught in Japan, and seen throughout the US in restaurants, is referred to as Hamachi.
- It’s a large fish with a yellowish stripe and a yellow tail on the side of its body.
- The meat ranges from white to pale pink, is firm, and has an excellent marbling of fat-to-meat ratio.
Is Toro tuna?
- Toro is a specific cut of tuna meat.
- This cut is usually a pale red and fatty, coming from the center underbelly of the fish.
- The Japanese word toro comes from the “melt in your mouth” texture of the meat called ‘toro-ri.’
- Most often in Japan, toro comes from the Bluefin variety of tuna.
- There is a wide variety of “toro’ including:
- Akami:
- This is the most common kind of toro that is usually more vibrant red, not as fatty, leaner, the least expensive, and comes from the portion of the belly near the tail.
- ‘Aka’ in Japanese means red.
- Chūtoro:
- This is the middle range of toro.
- ‘Chūu’ means middle in Japanese.
- This cut is less red, is a mixture of meat and fat, and is located closer to the middle belly of the fish but still next to the tail.
- Otoro:
- This is the most expensive cut of toro. It is quite pale, has a rich marbling of fat and meat, and is located in the direct underbelly of the tuna.
- This toro is usually labeled as “extra fatty,” which is the richest part of the tuna with that buttery soft “melt in your mouth” texture.
- Akami:
Here’s how to make this Salmon, Yellowtail, and Toro Jalapeño Sashimi recipe
Salmon, Yellowtail, and Toro Jalapeño Sashimi Ingredients
Sashimi Grade Salmon, Yellowtail, and Toro: As stated above, it’s super important to buy premium quality- sushi-grade fish from a reputable source. The main focus of this recipe is the fish, so you don’t want to sacrifice flavor and safety by using a lower-grade product.
Soy Sauce: I always use low-sodium soy sauce to be healthier. Tamari is also fantastic! However, any soy sauce will work for this recipe.
Lemon Juice: The lemon works as a brightening agent, helping to cut through the raw fish’s density. The acidity adds a lovely acidic note that pairs wonderfully with the rich soy sauce and sesame oil.
Sesame Oil: Always buy a toasted sesame oil with a dark brown color for a richer, nuttier flavor. This oil beautifully coats the raw fish giving it a smooth silkiness.
Jalapeño: When slicing the jalapeño, remove all the seeds. The seeds are the hottest part of the pepper. You can either use a knife to achieve paper-thin slices or a mandolin. I love using my Japanese mandolin, but a knife will work just as well. Take your time to achieve thin slices, so the pepper can almost “melt” into the raw fish for that sharp bite!
Cilantro: The minced cilantro adds a lovely freshness and herbaceous quality to the sashimi that lifts through the raw fish’s heaviness.
Chili Oil: I like to finish this dish with a bit of chili oil because it adds a beautiful color and a different heat note than the jalapeño. It also adds another element of silkiness because it is an oil. This is entirely optional.
Needed Equipment
Set of Stainless Steel or Glass Mixing Bowls
Process:
- Place the raw fish on a cutting board.
- Starting with the salmon, place it in the center of the cutting board, close to your body. Place it on the board laterally, so what would be the spine of the body is facing east to west. When you start to slice, you want your knife to be perpendicular to the grain of the fish.
- Slice the salmon by starting with the knife slightly angled, insert the heel of the blade at a slight angle into the fish, then move your hand down and towards your body (make sure you hold the fish firmly with the other hand) creating one fluid slicing movement from the heel to the tip of the knife. Try to cut each slice of the fish with one single stroke.
- Repeat this process until all the salmon, yellowtail, and toro are sliced. Reserve.
- Pour the soy sauce into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and sesame oil and whisk to combine.
- Clean your cutting board and use your knife or a mandolin to make paper-thin round slices of the jalapeño (make sure to remove all the seeds from your rounds).
- Arrange all three sliced fish by shingling the slices (one piece overlapping and touching the next) on a serving plate.
- Pour the sauce over the fish, and top with the jalapeño slices and a few cilantro sprigs.
- Drizzle chili oil over the top if desired and eat immediately.
Tips and tricks for success
- Make sure to buy the highest-quality sashimi-grade fish from a reputable source.
- Have a long and thin extra-sharp sushi knife for slicing.
- When slicing the fish, keep it close to your body.
- You always want to cut ‘across the grain,’ meaning you want to make cuts perpendicular to the fish’s spine. This will keep the fish slices from falling apart and becoming stringy.
- Starting with the knife slightly angled, insert the heel of the blade at a slight angle into the fish, then move your hand down and towards your body (make sure you hold the fish firmly with the other hand), creating one fluid slicing movement from the heel to the tip of the knife. Try to cut each slice of the fish with one single stroke.
- When slicing the jalapeño, make sure to remove all the seeds. The seeds are the hottest part of the pepper. You can either use a knife to achieve paper-thin slices or a mandolin.
FAQS
Eating raw fish is extraordinarily healthy for you! Fish contains significant vitamins, nutrients, and minerals and is a wonderful source of protein that is low in calories but also rich and substantial. All three fish contain omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats) and vitamin B12. The omega-3 fatty acids help aid brain function, decrease inflammation, reduce blood pressure, and promote healthy skin, hair, and nails. Vitamin B12 enables you to form new healthy red blood cells, helps to create DNA, and supports the nervous system. All three fish also contain a high amount of selenium which helps aid in DNA synthesis, hormone stabilization, and reproductive health.
When making sashimi slices, you can make them slightly thicker. You always want to slice ‘across the grain,’ meaning you want to make cuts perpendicular to the fish’s spine.
High-quality toro, salmon, and yellowtail have an amazingly rich and succulent flavor.
A notable fish or seafood market is the best place to buy sashimi-grade fish.
Yes, purveyors often freeze the fish before it is sold. In doing this, any chance of harmful bacteria or microorganisms is destroyed in the freezing process. However, freezing does slightly weaken the flavor and texture of the fish.
I do not recommend making this fish in advance. Raw fish is delicate and expensive and should be eaten on the purchase or one day after.
Like above, I recommend eating the fish the day of purchase or the day after.
Variations
- Soy Allergy: You can use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Gluten Allergy: Most soy sauces contain wheat and are not gluten-free. However, you can use tamari, which is made with 100% soybeans. Some miso pastes contain barley, which is not gluten-free.
- Seed Allergy: You could use a neutral-based oil instead of the sesame oil.
- Spice: You can use any chili oil or spice you might have in your panty, This chili crisp or Japanese togarashi are my favorites
Suggested Meal Pairings
Jalapeño Sashimi Trio
Equipment
- 1 Sushi Knife
- 1 Set of Stainless Steel or Glass Mixing Bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Mandolin
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Presentation Plate
Ingredients
Sashimi Trio
- 3 oz sashimi-grade salmon
- 2 oz sashimi-grade yellowtail
- 1.5 oz sashimi-grade toro
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ jalapeño, sliced into paper-thin rounds
- 2 tbsp cilantro sprigs for garnish
- Chili oil for garnish
Instructions
Sashimi Trio
- Slice the salmon, yellowtail, and toro across the grain into thin strips and layer them on a plate. Reserve.
- Whisk together the soy sauce and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the sesame oil while continuing to whisk. Reserve.
- Take the plate of cut fish and shingle them on a platter or plate, starting first 4-5 pieces of each fish, starting with the salmon, then yellowtail, and toro, and repeat. You can make one large platter or two shingled plates.
- Drizzle the sauce over the fish and dot the fish with the thinly sliced jalapeño and cilantro sprigs.
- Add a few droplets of chili oil if desired.
Notes
- Make sure to buy the highest-quality sashimi-grade fish from a reputable source.
- Have a long and thin extra-sharp sushi knife for slicing.
- When slicing the fish, keep it close to your body.
- You always want to cut ‘across the grain,’ meaning you want to make cuts perpendicular to the fish’s spine. This will keep the fish slices from falling apart and becoming stringy.
- Starting with the knife slightly angled, insert the heel of the blade at a slight angle into the fish, then move your hand down and towards your body (make sure you hold the fish firmly with the other hand), creating one fluid slicing movement from the heel to the tip of the knife. Try to cut each slice of the fish with one single stroke.
- When slicing the jalapeño, make sure to remove all the seeds. The seeds are the hottest part of the pepper. You can either use a knife to achieve paper-thin slices or a mandolin.
I like this website its a master peace ! Glad I discovered this on google .
Leave a comment