Sashimi - Varieties

Varieties

Some of the most popular main ingredients for sashimi are:

• Salmon (鮭, Sake?)
• Squid (いか, Ika?)
• Shrimp (えび, Ebi?)
• Tuna (まぐろ, Maguro?)
• Mackerel (さば, Saba?)
• Horse Mackerel (あじ, Aji?)
• Octopus (たこ, Tako?)
• Fatty Tuna (おおとろ, Ōtoro?)
• Yellowtail (はまち, Hamachi?)
• Puffer Fish Takifugu (ふぐ, Fugu?)
• Scallop (ほたて貝, Hotate-gai?)
• Sea Urchin (ウニ, Uni?)
• Whale meat (鯨肉, Gei-niku?)

Some sashimi ingredients, such as octopus, are sometimes served cooked given its chewy nature. Most seafood, such as tuna, salmon, and squid, are served raw.

Tataki (たたき or 叩き, "pounded") is a type of sashimi. It is quickly and lightly seared outside, leaving it raw inside.

Less common, but not unusual, sashimi ingredients are vegetarian items such as yuba (bean curd skin) and raw red meats, such as beef, known as gyuunotataki, and horse, known as basashi. Chicken "sashimi", known as toriwasa, is considered by some to be a delicacy; the Nagoya kōchin, French poulet de Bresse and its American derivative, the blue foot chicken, are favored by many for this purpose, as, besides their taste, they are certified to be free of Salmonella. Chicken sashimi is sometimes slightly braised on the outside.

Basashi (馬刺し = 馬 ba = horse + 刺し sashi = pierced, stuck), or namasu, is raw horse meat, a traditional dish from Kumamoto, Matsumoto, and Tohoku region. It is often served sashimi-style, and can be found in restaurants in Osaka, Tokyo and other large cities in Japan.