Sashimi: Let the Fish Lead, and Let the Knife Follow the Fish
Use only fish sold for raw eating, keep it cold until the moment you cut it, and change the way the blade goes in for each kind of fish. The salmon is cut straight down into small blocks; the white fish is sliced with the blade tilted, across the grain.
On a single plate, three small groups of raw fish sit apart from one another on a bed of fine white daikon: orange salmon in neat blocks, pale white fish in broad slanted slices, and a richer, pale pink fish beside them. A dab of wasabi, a little shredded pickled ginger and a small dish of soy sauce complete the table. Nothing is cooked, and there is no rice.
This recipe follows a sashimi plate by Sachie Nomura: three kinds of fish at 100g each, 100g of daikon, wasabi, sushi ginger and soy sauce, for 3 servings, with 15 minutes of preparation and no cooking. What makes it worth learning is not elaborate decoration but a practical point. Within the same platter, the recipe cuts salmon with the blade at 90 degrees to the board and cuts the white fish with the blade tilted to 45 degrees across the grain. Matching the cut to the fish is how the textures on the plate are shaped.
Because sashimi skips cooking entirely, the fish you buy and how you keep it matter as much as the knife. The safety section sits right after the ingredients so you can read it as soon as you are home from the shop. For more dishes from the same table, see our page on Japanese home cooking.
Sashimi Is Not Sushi: Raw Fish Served Without Rice
Sashimi is often mentioned in the same breath as sushi, but they are different dishes. The Japan National Tourism Organization describes a sashimi platter as raw fish served without rice, so that the flavor of the seafood itself is in the foreground. Sushi is built with rice; sashimi is not.
This article treats sashimi as a home-style platter that puts several different fish on one plate, prepared in kitchens across Japan rather than as the specialty of any one region. It also keeps a clear line between sashimi and other raw or lightly treated fish dishes. Sushi and rice bowls topped with seafood, vinegar-cured fish, soy-marinated zuke, seared tataki, carpaccio, Peruvian ceviche, Filipino kinilaw and ikizukuri (fish presented while still live) all use different processes, so none of them is a variation of this recipe.
Ingredients for 3 Servings
The amounts below follow the original recipe. All three fish are fillets with the skin and bones already removed. The recipe gives no amounts for the sushi ginger or soy sauce, so serve as much as you like. For wasabi, choose either powder or paste; the powder needs a little water, the paste does not. Do not combine the two amounts.
No oil, salt or vinegar goes into this plate. The water for the wasabi powder is a recipe ingredient; any water you use to rinse the daikon or your tools is separate.
Equipment
- A sharp, clean knife: a santoku works, as does a sashimi knife
- A clean cutting board that is easy to wash and sanitize, ideally kept for fish
- A serving plate, plus small dishes for wasabi and soy sauce
- A teaspoon for mixing the wasabi
- A clean plate and cover for keeping the fish in the refrigerator
Choosing the Fish: Labels First, Then the Species
Buy only fish labeled for raw eating. In Japanese supermarkets, look for fish clearly marked for raw consumption or for sashimi (生食用 / 刺身用). Never use fish sold for cooking as sashimi, and do not decide that a fish can be eaten raw because it looks fresh. Terms like "sashimi-grade" and "sushi-grade" are marketing language rather than food safety standards, so check the actual label, the expiration date and the storage instructions, and ask the seller if anything is unclear.
The original recipe calls for snapper and kingfish. Neither name pins down a single species, and the recipe does not say which kingfish it means. If they are hard to find, red sea bream (madai) is an easy-to-find raw-eating white fish in Japan, and yellowtail (buri) or amberjack (hiramasa) can stand in for kingfish. These are suggestions for shopping in Japan, not claims that they are the same fish as in the original; expect differences in richness and aroma. Don't identify an unlabeled fish by its color or brand alone.
The salmon in the original recipe is a specific brand. Any salmon labeled for raw eating fits the plate.
- Parasites: Anisakis larvae can be present in fish and cause illness when the fish is eaten raw. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, vinegar, salt, soy sauce and wasabi do not kill Anisakis. The ministry lists visual inspection as one consumer measure, but seeing nothing does not mean the fish is completely safe. Freshness, refrigeration and careful inspection reduce risk; none of them is a guarantee.
- Freezing and heating: The ministry describes freezing and heating conditions that control Anisakis. Do not assume that putting fish in a home freezer automatically meets those conditions.
- Temperature: Under Japan's food standards, seafood for raw consumption must be stored in hygienic packaging at 10°C or below. That is a storage standard, not a condition that kills parasites. At home, follow the label and the seller's storage instructions, buy chilled fish at the end of your shopping trip, refrigerate it promptly, and keep it cold until just before you cut it.
- Allergies: Fish and seafood can cause allergic reactions. Some soy sauces contain soy and wheat, so check the label of the product you use.
- Who should eat raw fish: If you are unsure whether raw fish is suitable for you or someone you are serving, consult the relevant public health guidance or a medical professional.
Method: Three Fish, Three Ways with the Knife
Prepare the daikon and wasabi first so the fish spends as little time out of the refrigerator as possible. Cut the fish last and serve it right away.
When the Cuts Go Wrong: Fixing Common Problems
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The fish feels soft and is hard to cut neatly | It warmed up while sitting out | Keep the fish refrigerated until just before slicing and work quickly |
| The cut surfaces look ragged | Sawing the knife back and forth, or a dull blade | Use a sharp, clean knife and cut in one smooth pull |
| Every fish looks and tastes the same | All three were cut the same way | Cut the salmon straight down into blocks and slice the white fish with the blade tilted across the grain |
| The substitute fish tastes different from what you expected | The substitute may differ in species or richness | Treat red sea bream, yellowtail and amberjack as local choices with their own richness and aroma |
| Fish is left over after the meal | Too much was cut at once | Next time, cut only what will be eaten. Don't leave fish at room temperature or plan to keep it for the next day |
Variations That Keep It Sashimi
Each of these changes the plate in a meaningful way while staying within the dish.
- One fish only. Make the plate with just one of the three fish to focus on its flavor and bite.
- Red sea bream for the snapper. A practical choice in Japan, offered as an editorial substitute rather than a claim of species equivalence with the original.
- Yellowtail or amberjack for the kingfish. Expect differences in richness and aroma.
- No daikon. Serve only the fish and condiments. You lose the bed and the crisp contrast.
- No wasabi. Eat the fish with soy sauce alone. The plate loses its heat.
Adding vinegar, oil or chili to the fish moves it toward ceviche or carpaccio, which are different dishes rather than versions of sashimi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sashimi and sushi?
Sashimi is raw fish served without rice, so the flavor of the seafood takes center stage. Sushi is built with rice. They are often mentioned together, but they are different dishes.
Can I eat any fish from the supermarket raw?
No. Use only fish labeled for raw eating or for sashimi, and never use fish sold for cooking as sashimi. Fresh appearance alone does not make fish suitable for raw eating. Follow the label's dates and storage instructions, and keep the fish cold.
Do wasabi and soy sauce protect against parasites?
No. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare states that vinegar, salt, soy sauce and wasabi do not kill Anisakis. Refrigeration and visual checks also do not guarantee that the fish is free of parasites.
Why cut each fish differently?
The recipe cuts salmon with the blade at 90 degrees to the board into blocks, and the snapper with the blade tilted to 45 degrees across the grain. Matching the cut to the fish gives each group on the plate its own texture.
Can I make sashimi ahead or keep leftovers?
This recipe is designed to be cut and eaten right away. It does not give a storage period, so cut only as much as you will eat and serve it freshly sliced and cold.
Sources
- Sachie Nomura (Sachie's Kitchen), "Sashimi Plate Ideas - Recipe By Sachie Nomura," Regal Salmon USA. The main recipe: 3 servings and 15 minutes of preparation; salmon, snapper and kingfish at 100g each; 100g daikon; wasabi powder with water or wasabi paste; salmon cut at 90 degrees and snapper cut with the blade at 45 degrees against the grain; serving with daikon, wasabi, sushi ginger and soy sauce. https://www.regalsalmon.com/us/recipes/sachie-s-sashimi-plate/
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), "Sushi in Japan Guide," Travel Japan. That sashimi is distinct from sushi, and that sashimi platters are raw fish served without rice so the flavor of the seafood is foregrounded. https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/sushi-in-japan/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "Prevent food poisoning from Anisakis" (アニサキスによる食中毒を予防しましょう). Anisakis in fish eaten raw; that vinegar, salt, soy sauce and wasabi do not kill Anisakis; consumer measures including visual inspection; recognized freezing and heating controls. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000042953.html
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "Standards for Food, Additives, etc." (storage standard for seafood for raw consumption). That seafood for raw consumption must be stored in hygienic packaging at 10°C or below. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/web/t_doc?dataId=78334000&dataType=0&pageNo=60
- Namiko Hirasawa Chen, "How to Cut Sashimi," Just One Cookbook. Using a sharp santoku or sashimi knife, smooth single-pull cutting, keeping fish chilled until slicing, and that "sashimi-grade" and "sushi-grade" are marketing terms rather than food safety standards. https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-slice-and-plate-sashimi/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "Enjoy Eating in Japan Safely and Deliciously!" That raw fish such as sashimi and sushi must be kept at the proper temperature. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11130500/000534820.pdf
