Grand Sashimi Moriawase Recipe

Chill and sanitize

Place fish in the coldest part of the refrigerator until nearly chilled (30–60 minutes if not already chilled). Sanitize your cutting board and knife, then wipe blade and board with a clean damp cloth and dry—maintaining a cold, clean surface preserves texture and safety.

Trim and portion

Using the sashimi knife, trim each fillet of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail to remove skin, bloodline, and any connective tissue. For each fillet portion, cut into individual slices: tuna and salmon into 4 pieces each (about 1/4"–1/2" thick, 2"–3" long), yellowtail into 3 slightly thicker slices, scallops left whole or butterflied into 2 pieces, and octopus sliced thinly into one decorative piece. Keep all pieces uniformly sized for a balanced 14-piece platter.

Slicing technique for raw fish

Hold the fillet steady with your non-dominant hand (use a towel if needed). Angle the knife slightly and use a single smooth pull-slice toward you, not a sawing motion, to create clean edges. For fleshy fish like salmon, slice with the grain to preserve texture; for tuna and yellowtail, slice slightly across the grain. Aim for 1/4"–1/2" thickness depending on species.

Scallop and octopus

If using whole scallops, slice horizontally to produce two thin medallions or leave whole for presentation. For pre-cooked octopus, chill thoroughly then slice on a bias into thin pieces (about 1/8" thick) to show cross-section and tenderness.

Arrange shredded daikon in the center or along one side of the chilled serving platter to create a bed. Place shiso leaves at intervals on the daikon as visual anchors.

Neatly fan the fish slices in groups by species: place 4 tuna slices together, 4 salmon slices together, 3 yellowtail slices together. Position the 2 scallop pieces and the 1 octopus piece as accent items. Keep spacing so each slice is easily picked with chopsticks.

Add microgreens or kaiware lightly over the daikon for color. Tuck lemon wedges at the edge of the platter for optional citrus. Place small amounts of wasabi on the platter (or serve on a separate small plate) and position pickled ginger nearby.

Pour soy sauce into small dipping bowls. If offering ponzu, place it in a second bowl. Serve immediately to maintain chill and freshness. Instruct guests to use ginger as a palate cleanser between bites, to add small amounts of wasabi to soy sauce or directly to fish according to taste, and to avoid drowning slices in sauce—light dipping preserves flavor.

Keep any leftover raw fish refrigerated and consume within 24 hours, following safe seafood handling practices.