Sashimi is a popular Japanese dish that serves as a great, light appetizer. As with all Japanese dishes, different types of fish can be used, and here the answer to the – “What is yellowtail sashimi?” question will be provided.
Yellowtail sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish made with hamachi fish (Japanese amberjack). This fish is known for its high oil content that imparts a buttery texture. Hamachi fish literally melts in your mouth. Moreover, this type of sashimi goes well with many sauces and garnishes, resulting in many exciting flavors.
Yellowtail Sashimi Has Become One of the Most Popular Sashimi Dishes
The popularity of yellowtail sashimi can be attributed to the texture of hamachi fish which is the main ingredient. Traditionally, fish used for sashimi should be light and buttery, and hamachi fish brings this to another level. Furthermore, the usual garnishes which accompany this sashimi are light and have a tangy taste which makes this dish an exciting appetizer for social gatherings.
Traditional Yellowtail Sashimi Is Prepared Like Any Other
If you already have experience with preparing salmon sashimi, for example, there won’t be any problems. Ideally, there is a sashimi knife in your kitchen drawers, but other sharp blades will do the job as well. Here is what needs to be done.
| Step 1 | Take your sashimi-grade fish and start slicing. There are two common methods. You can either cut the fish straight down or at a certain angle. By cutting at an angle, you can slice even thinner pieces; however, a good knife is needed for this. You should remove any remaining skin. Also, it is advisable to dip the tip of the knife into the water before cutting. |
| Step 2 | Take a big plate and start arranging the thin slices. The Japanese traditionally put shiso leaf, pickled ginger, or radish (preferably daikon) in between the slices. |
| Step 3 | Finally, you should arrange the sauces. Traditionally, yellowtail sashimi is served only with wasabi and soy sauce. |
When prepared in the traditional way and eaten only with soy or wasabi sauce, the flavor should be savory. Ideally, the fresh belly of hamachi fish should be used, but frozen fish will also meet all the requirements.
Nobu Style Yellowtail Sashimi Is Also a Popular Way of Preparing This Dish
If you are wondering if sashimi is cooked, the traditional sashimi is eaten raw. However, if for some reason you want to avoid eating raw fish, you can prepare the yellowtail sashimi in Noby style. Here is what to do:
- When preparing the Noby yellowtail sashimi, the slices have to be thin as paper, which means that you have to cut at an angle and, preferably, have a professional sashimi knife.
- Mix together olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, and olive oil. Pour the mixture into a pan and reach the boiling point on medium heat.
- Arrange the thin fish slices on a wide plate. Take the pan with the hot mixture and slowly pour it over the plate. The thin slices of fish will start to cook under heat, and the mixture will infuse the fish with a unique garlicky taste.
Yuzu Ponzu Sauce Usually Accompanies Nobu Style Yellowtail Sashimi
This sauce is made when mixing the yuzu and the ponzu sauce. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit, and the juice is mixed with soy sauce and honey in order to make the yuzu sauce. On the other hand, ponzu sauce is made from rice vinegar, soy sauce, citrus juice, mirin, and bonito flakes. People sometimes serve the two sauces separately, but the mixture provides the best combination with the yellowtail sashimi.
Yellowtail Sashimi Can Be Eaten With Various Garnishes
First of all, if you are wondering whether sashimi is served with rice, the answer is no. Rice is not the appropriate garnish for sashimi. However, besides the ones we have mentioned above, there are other garnishes that work great with yellowtail sashimi:
- Often, you will see people add jalapeno or other types of sliced hot peppers served with yellowtail sashimi, especially if the style of preparation is Nobu.
- Grated garlic is another popular garnish. You can either sprinkle the entire plate or serve it separately as a dipping.
- Fresh lemon slices are another popular garnish. Some people like to sprinkle fish slices with lemon juice.
- Traditional Japanese sake goes extremely well with any type of sashimi, which makes it a great appetizer for parties.
Sashimi Is a Great Dish That Can either Serve as a Snack or an Appetizer
The most important thing about yellowtail sashimi, or any other for that matter, is that this dish is incredibly healthy. The nutritional value is exceptional, as sashimi consists mostly of protein. Furthermore, all the garnishes and sauces are relatively healthy as well (just don’t go overboard with the sake). The best part is that with all ingredients, it shouldn’t take you more than ten minutes to prepare everything.