Basashi: Kumamoto-Style Horse Sashimi with Onion, Shiso and Sweet Soy (馬刺し)

Basashi: Thin Slices of Raw Horse Meat from Kumamoto

Thin slices of horse meat rest on a bed of sliced onion and shiso, with small mounds of grated ginger and garlic and a dish of sweet soy sauce on the side. This is basashi as Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) presents it: a traditional dish of Kumamoto City and the Aso region in Kumamoto Prefecture.

The cooking itself is mostly knife work and arranging. The care lies in the meat you buy and how you handle it. This article uses MAFF's recipe for 4 servings, with 200g of horse meat cut 2–3 mm thick against the grain. MAFF's recipe does not cover the safety steps here, including washing the garnishes, using a dedicated board and knife, and keeping the meat cold. We added them from guidance published by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

Sekai Gohan has not kitchen-tested this recipe or tasted the result. It is written from the public sources listed at the end. For more dishes from the same country, see our Japan page.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Keep the horse meat cold until you are ready to slice it, and keep it in a bag or container so its juices cannot reach other food.

Equipment

• Cutting board and knife used only for the horse meat
• Separate clean cutting board and knife for the onion
• Grater
• Serving plate
• Small dishes for the condiments and soy sauce
• Kettle or pot of boiling water for cleaning the board and knife

Choosing the Meat and Condiments

Horse meat. Look for meat clearly sold for eating raw, and read its label for storage, thawing and handling after opening. If the label doesn't make this clear, ask the seller. Ordinary horse meat is not a substitute, and neither is any other meat.

Cut. No particular cut is required, so choose whichever raw-sale product you can get. Marbled (shimofuri), lean (akami) and mane (tategami) are examples of cuts, and you can use your preferred one.

Sweet soy sauce. Use a sweet, rich sashimi soy sauce for dipping, to taste.

Eating It Raw: What the Public Guidance Says

MHLW warns that eating raw horse meat, like other raw meat and organ meats, carries a risk of food poisoning. Even hygienic processing cannot completely prevent microbial contamination of meat, and hazards such as parasites are also known. None of the steps above guarantees safety at home.

According to the same notice, S. fayeri doesn't parasitize humans and not everyone who eats it becomes ill. When symptoms do occur, diarrhea, vomiting or stomach discomfort appear about 4–8 hours after eating. They are described as mild, with quick recovery. Even so, see a doctor if you develop symptoms.

Keep it cold. MHLW's home guidance gives 10°C or below for the refrigerator and -15°C or below for the freezer. Freezing doesn't kill bacteria, so use frozen food early. We give no storage period: follow the label on the meat you buy, eat it as soon as it is sliced, and do not leave it at room temperature.

Keep it separate. The same guidance says to wash your hands after handling raw meat, keep meat in a bag or container so juices don't reach other food, and wash knives and boards and pour boiling water over them after cutting raw meat. It also says not to cut foods eaten raw on them unwashed. It is general guidance rather than advice specific to horse meat. Using a dedicated board and knife and washing the garnishes under running water are additional precautions we have included for this dish.

People who should take extra care. MHLW asks people with weaker resistance, such as children and older adults, to take particular care. Japan's Food Safety Commission advises that during pregnancy, unheated foods can cause listeria food poisoning and should be heated where possible. That advice is general and doesn't name horse meat. On that basis, we suggest that people who are pregnant, infants and young children, older adults and anyone with weakened immunity choose not to eat this dish raw.

Common Problems

Variations

Cut of meat. The Umami Information Center notes the cut can be chosen to preference, with marbled, lean and mane as examples. MAFF and the Umami Information Center both note that flavor differs by cut. The recipe works the same way, and no particular cut is required.

Scallions. The Umami Information Center's version of the dish adds small scallions to the condiments, with onion, garlic, ginger, green shiso and sweet soy sauce. MAFF's recipe doesn't include them, so they are not in the table above.

Basashi in Kumamoto

MAFF presents basashi as a traditional dish of Kumamoto City and the Aso region, eaten with onion, ginger, garlic and sweet soy sauce. It notes that people eat it at New Year and celebrations as well as in everyday meals. Kumamoto Prefecture's local-food site also features basashi as one example of a horse meat dish.

How the dish began is less settled. MAFF states plainly that there are several theories. One links it to the feudal lord Kato Kiyomasa and his military campaign in Korea, and it is best read as a story passed down rather than as established history.

You may also see horse meat called sakura-niku ("cherry blossom meat"), a name that comes from the color of its cut surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use horse meat from a regular butcher?

Only if it is sold for eating raw. This recipe is not an instruction to eat ordinary horse meat raw. Check the label and ask the seller.

If the meat is fresh or has been frozen, is it safe?

Neither one guarantees safety. MHLW warns of food poisoning risk from raw horse meat. Freezing under the conditions in its notice addresses S. fayeri, but freezing doesn't kill bacteria.

Can I freeze the meat at home to deal with parasites?

We can't advise on this. The published freezing conditions apply to businesses and the distribution stage, and we have no source for home freezers or for refreezing. Choose meat sold for eating raw and follow its label.

How do I thaw it?

Follow the label on your product. As one seller's example, Suganoya advises thawing the unopened pack in ice water in the refrigerator, or under running water if you are in a hurry. It advises against thawing at room temperature or in a microwave. Those instructions are for its own products and may not apply to yours.

How thin should the slices be?

Slice 2–3 mm thick, across the grain, as MAFF's recipe directs. Suganoya gives a similar guide for its blocks, at about 2 mm across the grain.

Can I keep leftovers?

We give no storage period. Eat the meat as soon as it is sliced, do not leave it at room temperature, and follow the label for any meat you have not yet cut.

Sources