Exotic food from another land

The ふぐ (fugu) sashimi or puffer fish

The puffer fish is the most toxic fish in the world and is considered the second most poisonous vertebrate it is one of the favorite dishes of the Japanese.

The toxicity of pufferfish is comparable to that of cyanide or strychnine.

Tetradotoxin is found mainly in the liver, ovaries and skin of fish - it varies by species within the family - even after boiling, so its preparation is highly complex and dangerous. The only way to cook it is by carefully extracting these organs and, in the case of the skin, with great care and for specific parts of the animal so that it does not contaminate the meat.

Legend has it that puffer fish was banned in Japan between the 17th and 18th centuries because many people died from eating it at home.
Finally, the government of Japan decided to legalize it as long as its capture, consumption and sale were governed by strict regulations.

To cook it in Japan you must have a special permit.

But, if it is so dangerous, why is it cooked and eaten?

Mainly by tradition. In Japan, fugu sashimi is an institution. It is eaten especially during the winter months and is present in the menus of the great occasions.

How is this dish prepared?

Its preparation and handling require the chef to have a tough discipline learned over three years and to have a consistent license.

To prepare the coveted sashimi, they cut the fugu into very thin, almost transparent sheets that sometimes simulate chrysanthemum flowers. But the fugu is also present in stews, pickles or salads.

For those who visit Japan eating fugu is an attraction, so it is not surprising that there are chain restaurants that specialize in serving puffer fish. Genpin Fugu, for example, has more than a hundred franchises.
Even some of the most prestigious restaurants have ponds where puffer fish swim where customers are photographed.