Conference turris::cooks

    Yes Sally, you are right. The correct spelling should be SASHIMI. It is
    a Japanese dish consisting of raw fish. Any suggestions?
    
    Juan Carlos

    Well!  You have hit on my favorite meal.  Of course raw fish is
    easy since you don't have to cook it, just slice it and eat it with
    other things.  I don't know where you live, so I don't know what
    is available to you, but here are my favorites:
    
    Fish:  The very best is raw tuna.  Salmon, swordfish, mackerel,
    sole, scallops, or sea bass are the best.  But, the fish MUST be
    fresh - or you will get sick.  If it smells like fish, it isn't
    fresh.  Really fresh fish doesn't smell like anything.  You slice
    it against the grain and at a slight angle - like you were slicing
    a London Broil.  Use very sharp knife.  Don't let the fish warm
    up at all, keep it cold while you get the rest of the stuff ready.
    
    What to eat it with:
    	White rice
    	pickled ginger - buy this in an Oriental food store.  It comes
    as thin pinkish slices in a clear broth.  It keeps in your frige
    for months.
    	Wabasi - but this in powder form in an Oriental food store.
    It is a light green powder that you mix with a little water to make
    a darker green paste.  This stuff is HOT, so just make a little.
    	Sliced cucumber
    	Sliced tomatoe or other fresh, uncooked vegtables.
    
    To drink:  Hot green tea and hot saki - Japanese rice wine.
    
    Enjoy!
    
    Sally
    

    Also see not 311 for how to make sushi.
    
    Sally
    

    
    
    
    	NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER eat Salmon fresh from the market.
    
    	It is to be smoked for Sashimi or sushi.
    
    

RE .5

I have had raw (definitely NOT smoked salmon) at many resturtants, including
Legal seafood. Are they running the risk of a law suit? (Neither my husband
or I have ever had any problems from eating raw fish)

-vicki

    
    

    re .5
    
    What a terrible thought!  I have eaten raw salmon many times at
    home and out.  I knew you ran some risks, mostly of the fish not
    being fresh enough, but tape worms. :-(
    
    Anybody else ever heard of this or have any more information?  Anybody
    out there married to a doctor?
    
    Sally
    

    
    	I read an article in Prevention magazine a while back about
    eating raw fish. They said there is a slight chance of getting
    sick from eating raw fish. I cannot remember if it they were
    talking tape worms or food poisoning but somebody did some
    research in Japan where the occurrence of people eating raw
    fish is much greater then around here. The outcome was that
    people get sick so rarely from eating raw fish that they didn't
    consider it a health risk.
    
    	Linda
    
    

    
    
    
    	Perhaps I should have been more specific but time did not allow.
    
    	Generally, fish that are from FRESH water should never be eaten
    	raw.  There is a much greater chance of poisoning from eating
    	fresh water fish than saltwater.  Why is not very clear, it
    	might have to do with the fact that there are many kinds of
    	bacteria in fresh water variety fishes.
    
    	Salmon for SUSHI is ALWAYS smoked, never raw.
    	IN Japan, they never eat fresh water fish raw and usually
    	cook most fish (contrary to popular belief that Japanese
    	eat ALL fish raw).  Salmon used for sushi is supposed
    	to be caught in the ocean right before spawning (hence
    	the Ikura (salmon raw) at sushi bars) as they have
    	not yet started starvation which all salmon due right
    	before spawning up river.  Unfortunately, much of the
    	salmon you find here is caught while in fresh water.
    
    	It's up to you, my opinion is that if it looks
    	fresh, then fine, but smoked salmon tastes better if
    	you ask me.
    
    
    	
    

    Lox sushi?  COME ON, MORDECHAI!
    
    I've had plenty of raw salmon in the U S of A, and I'm still alive.
    If I had a tapeworm, I'd be able to eat more without getting fat.
    
    But if it were caught in the Charles River, I'd incinerate it. :-)
           fred

    According to a Consumer Reports issue of a couple of years ago,
    there is some sort of parasite you can get from eating freshwater
    fish raw, but not from saltwater fish.  They said that if you do
    get some infected fish from a bad restaurant or wherever (a good
    restaurant will serve saltwater sushi and sashami only), there is
    a very effective drug to get rid of the parasite.  They didn't say
    what the symptoms of this parasitic infection are.
    
    I agree that no sushi place I have ever been to served lox (synonym for
    smoked salmon). 
    
    Julie

	I have never had nor heard of smoked salmon sushi or sashimi, 
	always raw.  Tapeworms would not be a problem, as they infest
	the digestive system of their host, not the fleshy muscle.
	Besides, the fish is sliced so thin, you would see most worm
	type parasites during preparation.  The only fresh fish I've 
	ever seen with worms is COD.  This is to be expected.  When I 
	asked a fishmonger about these worms, he said "All cod has 'em.
	Good markets remove them before displaying the fish."  He showed 
	me some before the worms were removed, and they were VERY visible.
	(I almost lost lunch!)  The parasites that can cause problems, 
	are not usually visible, but since that are found mostly in less
	than fresh fish, you should let your nose be the guide.

						     
							- JP

    re: -1
    
    Tapeworms in fish can be a problem.  The fish acts as an intermediate
    host for the worm.  The tapeworm forms a cyst in the flesh of the
    fish.  It's not always visible.  The cyst is eaten by humans and
    can then attach to the human gut.  Fortunately, this happens in fresh
    water, not salt water fish.
    
    Lynne (former med tech)

    Yes, it's the eggs not the worm that gets around.


    Mike (Former human being)