[ad_1]
Aside from manufacturing high-quality equipment for fishing, Japan is also well-known for serving tasty fish dishes. Japanese traditional fish dishes have been in the country for centuries. As a result, Japan has produced high-quality tools that help chefs perfect their craft.
Japanese chefs use specialized tools to create unique Japanese fish dishes. These include different kinds of Japan-made knives, grills, tweezers, and many more. Their Japanese kitchen tools are high-quality, which makes them popular even in the West.
In this article, we will discuss the best tools for preparing Japanese fish dishes. We will also go through common Japanese fish dishes to better understand why so many different tools are used in Japanese kitchens.
Popular Japanese Fish Dishes
There are many popular fish dishes in Japan. The most popular fish dish that is now enjoyed all over the world is Sushi. Sushi has been around since the 8th century and was originally made to preserve fish by storing them in fermented rice.
Sushi eventually evolved into what it is today. It now uses freshly cooked rice instead of fermented rice and is usually eaten with fresh fish rather than preserved fish. In addition, Sushi has evolved into many different variants, including makizushi (Japanese sushi rolls), nigiri sushi, temarizushi, gunkan maki, and temakizushi.
Sashimi is another traditional Japanese fish dish that has been around for centuries. Historians believe Sashimi was introduced during the Heian period ( 794-1185). During this period, fish was preserved by burying them in the ground and covering them with rice straw.
This preservation method allowed Japanese people to eat raw fish. Sashimi later became more popular in the Edo period along with Sushi.
In addition to raw fish dishes, Japan also enjoys grilled fish dishes. Yakizakana is the Japanese style of grilling fish, usually served during breakfast.
Just like Japan’s other traditional fish dishes, Yakizakana has been in the country for a long time and has become part of Japanese culture.
Yakizakana is one of the dishes that put a Japanese chef’s skills to the test. This dish is usually seasoned with salt, soy sauce and wine, soy sauce and mirin, or miso and sugar. Yakizakana is then grilled over charcoal until it is undercooked.
Once served, the residual heat finishes cooking the fish. Aside from these dishes, Japan has plenty of other popular fish dishes, such as Nanban-zuke (南蛮漬け Pickled), Furai (フライ Deep-fried), Shioyaki Sakana (塩焼き Grilled with salt), and many more.
Also Read: Fishing Apparel
Japanese Cooking Tools
Japanese Knives
Knives are the most essential tool for preparing any Japanese dish. They allow the chef to precisely cut through the ingredients. It can also help them express their creativity and craft unique dishes.
Japanese knives, in particular, are highly regarded. Their build and structure originate from the Japanese Katana used by the samurai (1185-1868). Just like the Katana, Japanese knives are single-edged. Unlike double-edged knives from the West, Japanese knives allow the chef to create a beautiful cross-section.
Japanese knives have an extremely acute angle in their blades, allowing chefs to cleanly and smoothly cut through ingredients. They are made of steel and are crafted using Japanese sword-crafting techniques passed down through generations by Katana-kaji or Japanese master swordmakers.
Japanese knives usually have a higher price tag. However, their top-tier craftsmanship, which makes them last long, easily justifies their cost.
Types of Japanese Knives
Japanese chefs utilize different kinds of knives for different kinds of fish and cooking methods. Each blade has unique characteristics that help Japanese chiefs to better serve the dish. The two main knives used for Japanese fish dishes are the Deba Knife and the Yanagiba Knife.
The Deba Knife, also known as the Hon-deba (True Deba), is one of the heaviest Japanese knives used in the kitchen. It has a thick, wide, and heavy blade, making it ideal for cutting through tough ingredients. This knife is best suited for slicing through hard bones and cutting fish heads.
The Yanagiba Knife has a long, narrow, and thin blade. It is the most popular knife for slicing raw fish into sashimi strips. This knife allows chefs to slice fish in one smooth motion, creating sashimi with a smooth surface and soft texture.
Shop Yanagiba Knives from Japan
-
Boning and Filet Knife (Honesuki)
The Honesuki, also known as the Japanese Boning Knife, is a knife specifically designed for removing bones from poultry. However, they have recently become popular for removing bones and filleting fish.
Japanese Filet Knives are very similar to the Honesuki. However, they have smaller blades with curved, sharp ends, making them more flexible. Their thin blades allow the user to smoothly separate fish meat from bones and remove the skin from fish meat.
Shop Honesuki Knives from Japan
Specialist Japanese Fish Knives
The Fuguhiki Knife is specially designed to cut Fugu (pufferfish). Fugu contains poison but can be consumed safely when prepared by a skilled chef. Using the Fuguhuki’s extremely thin blade (thinner than the Yanagiba knife), the chef can cut the Fugu’s firm meat into extremely thin slices.
Shop Fuguhiki Knives from Japan
The Hamokiri Knife is a Japanese knife specifically designed to cut through Hamo. The Hamo is a white ocean fish with a long, thin, and cylindrical body.
This type of fish belongs to the eel family and has many small and hard bones. With the Hamokiri Knife’s thick and heavy blade, Japanese chefs can cut through the bones and make the fish easier to eat.
Shop Hamokiri Knives from Japan
Other Tools for Japanese-Style Fish Dishes
Japanese Whetstones are some of Japan’s most popular knife-sharpening tools. They are essential in maintaining the sharpness of Japanese knives and blades. Compared to other water stones/whetstones, Japanese water stones are softer, allowing them to quickly sharpen the edge of blades.
In addition to knives, cutting boards are also important in preparing fish dishes. It gives the chef a good surface to work with and protects their knives and wrists. Japanese chefs usually prefer wooden knife boards since the wood’s moderate elasticity allows them to utilize their knife skills more effectively.
Shop Wooden Cutting Boards from Japan
-
Japanese Fishbone Tweezers and Fish Scaler
Aside from Japanese knives, there are also tools that can effectively remove fishbone and fish scales. Japanese fishbone tweezers are kitchen tweezers that can effectively remove fishbones. They are inexpensive tools that will make the entire process faster.
Japanese fish scalers are also handy since they allow chefs to remove fish scales without creating a mess. They grip fish scales better and are more efficient than other tools.
Shop Fish Tweezers and Scalers from Japan
Moribashi, or Japanese cooking chopsticks, are commonly used in decorating sashimi and other Japanese fish dishes. They are comparable to tongs used in Western countries. Compared to tongs, Moribashi is more effective in handling smaller ingredients.
The Japanese fish grill is a staple in most Japanese households. They are usually located underneath the oven unit’s gas range. They are big enough to hold a couple of small fish and can even effectively cook other dishes, such as pizza, bread.
They essentially replace traditional ovens in most Japanese kitchens, but don’t expect to be doing any baking in them.
Also Read: FISHING ROD BRANDS
Have you signed up for ZenMarket yet?
ZenMarket is the place to get your hands on goods directly from Japan!
[ad_2]
Source link