How To: Cut Fish for Sashimi

Some hate the idea of sashimi, but others love it. If you love sushi, this is the dish for you. It's a Japanese meal of bite-sized raw fish, usually eaten with soy sauce and horseradish paste. And sashimi can be a very simple dish to create, but there are essential things to learn about cutting the fish fillet, so check out these tips.

You Will Need

• Fillet of sushi-grade fish
• Cutting board
• Very sharp knife
• Soy sauce
• Small tray
• Wasabi
• Chopsticks

Step 1: Position the Fish

Position the fish horizontally on the cutting board in front of you.

Step 2: Position Your Knife

Position your knife so that you'll cut against the grain of the fish, creating a 90-degree angle between the blade and the grain.

Step 3: Angle Your Knife

Angle the knife so the blunt edge is inclined sharply to the right so that when you make a slice, the blade will cut at an angle down and to the left.

It's essential to make thin slices when cutting sashimi, but there's no need to go overboard. Aim for about an 1/8 inch.

Step 4: Slice Through

Slice through the fish with this method, from left to right until you've sliced the entire fillet.

Step 5: Mix Soy and Wasabi

Pour a bit of soy sauce into your tray and place a dab of wasabi in the corner of the tray so that it's anchored between the tray and the soy sauce. Swirl the wasabi around in the soy sauce with your chopsticks.

Step 6: Dip and Eat

Grab a piece of fish with your chopsticks, dip it into your soy and wasabi mixture, and enjoy.

Sashimi's popularity in Japan increased with the consumption of soy sauce.