Remove the zeigo (hard scute line along the side) first: start at the tail end, slide the knife flat underneath it and follow its pattern, taking only the scute off. Both sides.video 5-2
Alternative: lift the scale line with the middle-top part of the deba, mid-belly height.
Descale with the knife tip, tail to head. Small scales remain around the head — clean them off. video 5-2
Cut off the head. Alternative: a straight cut; the video angles the cut to keep more meat on the body side, then goes straight down. Don't lose the fin on the opposite side. video 5-2
Cut parallel to the belly; scrape the guts out with the knife tip. Squeeze the belly a little and pull the guts. video 5-2
Wash under running water — bounce the water off your finger rather than hitting the fish directly, it's delicate. Index finger inside the belly to clean out the rest of the guts and the spleen. A small toothbrush works too. video 5-2
Wipe off the moisture with the blue cloth, gently. video 5-2
Filleting nimai oroshi, butterflied (yoroibiraki)
Start from the back: left-hand side of the meat, knife on top of the fin, cut the skin first all the way to the tail.video 5-2
Find the bone with the tip and slice over it up to the mid spine.video 5-2
At the spine, cut the belly bones free from the main spine, then follow the bone with the tip all the way to the belly skin. Don't cut through the skin.video 5-2
Flip the fish, right-hand side up, bone underneath. Same again from the back towards the belly: skin first, knife on the bone, follow it to the spine, detach the belly bones, chase the bone to the skin.video 5-2
Fold skin to skin and detach the end of the bone at the tail.video 5-2
Remove the belly bones by scooping. Keep the fish perpendicular, handle off the board.video 5-2
Small bone with a fin near the tail: pin it with the knife against the board and pull the meat away.video 5-2
Tip of the knife, tail to head; pinch the tail with the left hand.
Brining for sushi
Water g — 3.5 % like the sea
300 g
water
9 g
salt
Dip the fillets in the brine for 1 min.
On a white cloth, head to the right. Remove excess moisture.
Pin bones out, head to tail; drop each bone in the tweezer water pot.
Vinegar-water 30 % vinegar / 70 % water. Dip 1 min — the surface changes colour.
Deskin from the head end with the back of the blade to lift the skin, then skin side down on the board and take the skin off with the back of the blade.