Changes name with age: Shinko → Kohada → Nakazumi → Konoshiro. Shinko = 1000 €/kg.
Kohada is the 7–10 cm size; that's the one used for sushi.video 5-3
Very heat-sensitive: keep it in ice-cold water throughout, hold it by the head, don't touch the body. video 5-3
3 % salt water bowl for the prepped fish.
Scaling & gutting
Head towards you. Incline the knife to the right and slice off the back fin. video 5-3
Scales off, tail to head, gently, following the shape of the fish. Both sides. Get every scale: once the fish is vinegar-cured a leftover scale won't come off. video 5-3
Cut off the head at the black dot behind the head. Alternative: cut on the dot; video: cut so the dot stays on the flesh side. video 5-3
Cut the belly next to the back fin, with power. Not much meat there. video 5-3
Knife along the main bone; scoop the stomach out. Squeeze the guts, cut out the spleen, index finger inside to clean. video 5-3
Cut the tail off diagonally, belly at the bottom, leaning the knife towards the belly. Then the back fin. video 5-3
Back into the ice water. Wipe off moisture.video 5-3
Filleting
Butterfly logic — nimai oroshi (two-piece): bone off, meat opened flat. Work at the front of the board, tip of the knife only. video 5-3
Belly at the bottom, shitami (underside) up, head right. Hold the fish slightly up. Tip of the blade above the bone, from head to tail, pressing down and coming in; open completely to the skin but don't detach. video 5-3
Flip over, flesh down, bone on the board. Press the bone with the knife and slide towards the interior from the RHS, head to tail, peeling the flesh off the bone. video 5-3
Alternative: don't flip; slide the knife in diagonally.
Belly bones: knife flat under the belly edge towards the left, upright the blade and detach. Same to the right. video 5-3
Trim the sides sharp and trim the fins next to the tail. Eventually eight clean edges — an octagon. video 5-3
Curing
Wet bamboo tray in the sink. Sprinkle salt evenly from 30 cm high. 25 min.
Rinse the salt off in a bowl of water. Dry on the blue cloth.
Submerge in cold vinegar, skin side down, 25 min. Same vinegar as for the rice.
Pat dry with the white cloth.
Cutting for nigiri
Remove 1 cm from the centre.
Tail at the bottom. First slice on the right side, towards the inside, blade at 45°.
Cut to size — the blue plastic guide.
Decoration: many variants. Head top left, score shallowly.
Box sushi and hosomaki from the same lesson: see Box sushi and Hosomaki.
Storage
Osaka style: sandwich between paper, then film. Fridge up to 2 nights.