The other day, I bought salmon at Leeds Market. This wasn’t my first time purchasing salmon from this market, but this time I ate it raw as sashimi.
The flavor was quite delicious, rich in fat. Salmon is very popular among Japanese people as sushi toppings, especially children tend to like it.
Since coming to the UK, I’ve had far fewer opportunities to eat fish, so I’m considering incorporating fish dishes into my regular diet.
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Today, I’d like to write about the common ways salmon and trout are consumed in Japan.
1. Eating it Raw as Sashimi or Sushi
Salmon is primarily farm-raised, so it’s free from parasites, making it safe to eat raw as sashimi. Speaking of parasites, Anisakis is well-known, but there are other common parasites as well:
- Pseudoterranova: A tapeworm that parasitizes monkfish, cod, Atka mackerel, squid, and other fish.
- Kudoa: A microscopic parasite found in flounder and other thick-fleshed fish, sometimes difficult to spot with the naked eye.
- Tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense): A parasite found in salmon and trout.
Anisakis can parasitize various fish such as horse mackerel, mackerel, saury, bonito, sardines, salmon, and squid. Even after removing the internal organs and washing the fish, Anisakis can be present in the fish’s muscle, and if accidentally ingested alive, it can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and other dangerous symptoms. To prevent such food poisoning, fish are often cooked or frozen to kill Anisakis. The same freezing method is used for horse meat sashimi.
While eating sashimi carries some risks, the unique texture and flavor that can only be experienced with raw fish are cherished by many Japanese people. In Japan, eating sashimi and sushi is generally safe, and I have never experienced food poisoning from sashimi in my 28 years of living in Japan.
I'm a little scared to eat sashimi in the UK, but I want to eat it regularly. So, when I eat, I want to be careful about food poisoning. This time, I ate salmon sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi on the first day. On the second day, I made a rice bowl with salmon, avocado, and homemade sauce.
2. Salmon Foil Bake
This dish involves wrapping salmon or trout with vegetables and seasonings in aluminum foil and baking it. Even those who don’t like eating raw fish can enjoy this dish safely. Common vegetables include mushrooms and spinach, and seasonings like butter and salt and pepper are used for flavoring. While salmon is eaten in many countries, this cooking method might be unique to Japan. I highly recommend trying it.
3. Grilled Salmon
This is a simple dish where salmon is salted and grilled in an oven. It’s commonly eaten for breakfast or lunch in Japan and is often included in bento boxes. I enjoy the simple taste of fish, so I often like dishes where the fish is simply salted and grilled, not just salmon.
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Other dishes include salmon meunière and pasta with mushrooms. Meunière originates from French cuisine but is also eaten in Japan. The recipes introduced above are all easy to make, so even busy people can give them a try.
That’s all for today’s introduction to common salmon and trout dishes in Japan.
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