What do fugu fish eat

The authorities in Tokyo impose stricter regulations than any other Japanese city. In some, restaurants have already been able to sell pre-prepared fugu for a long time. And even in Tokyo these days, it is available over the internet and in some supermarkets - one reason why officials think the rules need updating.

In terms of cost, it is likely fugu would become available in cheaper restaurants and pubs izakayas. But going to a proper fugu restaurant to eat good wild-caught fish, prepared on-site, is quite a luxury - because of the cost, if nothing else - and also quite an event. For many, playing the equivalent of Russian roulette at the dinner table is the attraction of the dish.

Some report a strange tingling of the lips from traces of the poison, although Miura-san thinks that is unlikely. He also scoffs at the myth that a chef would be honour-bound to commit ritual suicide with his fish knife if he killed a customer. Loss of his licence, a fine, litigation or perhaps prison would be the penalty.

Miura-san serves fugu stew, and grilled fugu with teriyaki sauce, but today it is fugu-sashimi on the menu. He carefully slices the fish so thinly that when it is arranged like the petals of a chrysanthemum flower on a large dish the pattern beneath shows through. Raw fugu is rather chewy and tastes mostly of the accompanying soy sauce dip.

It is briefly poached in a broth set on a table-top burner - a dish known as shabu-shabu in Japan. The old journalistic cliche when eating unusual foods really does hold true - it tastes rather like chicken. Fugu lovers, though, would say it has a distinctive taste, and, even more importantly, texture. Japanese has many words to describe texture because it is a very important aspect of the cuisine. Due to its deadly toxin, this seafood can only be prepared by qualified chefs at licensed eating establishments.

Fugu has a very mild whitefish-like flavor with a pure and clean quality to it. Its taste is subtle which is fairly unique for seafood, and is part of why the dish is sought after. Its texture will vary significantly depending on how it is cooked. Once cooked, it transforms into delicate, soft-textured flesh. However, the fugu is extremely lean so when it is overcooked by even a few seconds, its texture will become unpleasant and tough. The blowfish will vary in taste depending on the cooking method and which parts of the fish are used.

This meal is known as tessa in Japan and is the most common method of serving fugu; it uses the main fillet of the fish. The slices are cut very thin in a Carpaccio style — a lot thinner than regular sashimi. The meat can be a little tough if it is too thick. This dish is often served on a colorful plate, which can be seen through the thinly cut meat. The meat is garnished with extras like edible flowers or daikon , and ponzu sauce or a similar flavorful condiment.

Not sure what ponzu is all about? Check out how ponzu and soy compare to get a better understanding. Some diners experience a slight numbness on their lips, believed to be from traces of the poison, although not everyone experiences this sensation.

Did you know? Chefs will often assemble the fish pieces to look like a chrysanthemum. In Japan, this flower is a symbol of death. The skin can be served raw with sashimi, but cooking it tends to enhance the flavor. It is deliciously deep-fried until crispy, in salads, or grilled in slices which are ideal for dipping into the sauce.

Tecchiri, or hot pot, is a popular method of cooking fugu and it allows the chef to explore the use of additional ingredients. Australians may know it better as the pufferfish, globefish or blowfish. While illegal in most parts of the world, the Japanese consider it a delicacy and there are currently about 3, fugu restaurants in the country. The fugu or pufferfish has more than different types worldwide and each one of them is highly poisonous.

The skin, the intestines, the eyes, the kidneys, the ovaries and above all, the liver are the most deadly parts. Alternatively, you can eat fugu from specially created aqua farms that promise poison-free fugu. This takes some of the excitement out of eating it though.

In order to prepare fugu, chefs must first train tirelessly, preparing hundreds of fish at a cost of thousands of dollars. Then and only then can they legally sell it in their restaurants. Chefs must be at least 20 years of age and generally train for between four and six years.

But that is all about to change. Potentially, chefs that study for just one day will now be able to sell the deadly fish, so long as they purchase from suppliers with the venomous parts removed. Even after 60 years, he is still cautious when cutting open fugu. In restaurants, fugu is usually eaten raw as sashimi, cut into very thin slices and commonly presented as a flower.