Today's Sashimi Recipe

Chill plate and set up

Place the serving plate or wooden board in the refrigerator or on a bed of ice for at least 10 minutes so it is well chilled before plating.

Prepare ice bath

Fill a bowl with ice and cold water (about 500 ml). This is for briefly resting the knife and fish if needed to keep everything cold while you work.

Rinse daikon, peel if necessary, and shred into thin matchsticks. Place shredded daikon in cold water for a few minutes then drain and dry on paper towel; arrange as a small nest on the chilled plate.

Rinse shiso leaves and microgreens, spin or pat dry and set aside. Place pickled ginger and wasabi on small portions on the plate, spaced for easy access.

Inspect and portion

Work with very cold, sushi-grade fish. Remove any skin, bloodline, or sinew with a sharp knife. Cut fish into fillets no more than 1–1.5 cm thick for sashimi. Typical portions: tuna 150 g, salmon 150 g, hamachi 120 g.

Slice technique — tuna (akami/toro)

For tuna, hold the fish steady with your free hand (use a cloth). With a single smooth pull cut, slice at a slight angle across the grain into 6–8 mm thick slices (aim for 3–4 cm wide by 6–8 cm long pieces). Wipe the knife clean in the ice water between species to avoid cross-flavoring.

Slice technique — salmon

For salmon, slice slightly on the bias across the grain with a single smooth stroke, producing similar-size pieces (6–8 mm thick). If the salmon has visible skin, remove it beforehand and trim any dark bloodline.

Slice technique — hamachi

For hamachi, cut slightly thicker (about 7–9 mm) since it is firmer; slice on the bias into uniform pieces. Arrange slices on paper towel if slightly wet and pat dry before plating.

On the chilled plate, place the daikon nest slightly off-center. Fan the slices of one fish (for example salmon) in a neat arc against the daikon. Place the tuna slices in a small stack or staggered row beside the salmon. Arrange the hamachi in a third group so the three fish form a balanced triptych.

Tuck shiso leaves and a few microgreens between fish groups for color and aroma. Place small portions of pickled ginger and a pea-sized mound of wasabi near the fish. Add a lemon or yuzu wedge to the side.

If using toasted sesame oil for aroma, put 1/2 tsp in a small dish and brush a hairline of oil across one corner of the plate or lightly mist over one fish group — use sparingly to avoid masking natural flavors.

Pour soy sauce into a shallow dipping dish. If using ponzu, provide it as an alternative in a separate small dish or mix 30 ml ponzu with 30 ml soy sauce for a citrusy dip. Add a tiny smear of wasabi into the soy dish only if the diner prefers combined dipping flavor.

Lightly sprinkle a very small pinch (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of fine sea salt across the hamachi or tuna if desired — salty accent can enhance fattier fish. Serve lemon/yuzu wedge to be squeezed sparingly over the slices if preferred.

Serve immediately while fish is cold. Encourage diners to use chopsticks, take a slice, dip lightly in soy or ponzu (fish should not be saturated), and cleanse the palate with pickled ginger between types.

Food safety: only use certified sushi/sashimi-grade fish handled under proper cold-chain conditions. Keep fish refrigerated until just before slicing and consume within a few hours of preparation.