Fugu fish. A deadly delicacy. Japanese cuisine What is fugu fish used for?

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“He who eats fugu is a fool, but so is he who does not eat,” is a popular proverb in Japan. Fugu fish is a true legend of Japanese cuisine, the subject of horror, curiosity and lust of gourmets around the world.

The cost of a set meal based on fugu can exceed $1,000. One fish in Japan sells for about $300. But such a high cost is justified not only by the relative rarity of the fish, but also by the complexity of its preparation.

The fact is that the body of the fugu is literally saturated with the deadly poison tetrodotoxin. In one fish, which easily fits in the palm of your hand, it will be enough to poison 30-40 people. Tetrodotoxin is ten times more toxic than the famous poison curare and 400 times more toxic than strychnine. The venom of the fugu quickly paralyzes the muscles and leads to respiratory arrest. It is possible to save a poisoned person only if he is immediately taken to an artificial respiration and circulatory support apparatus. There is no effective antidote for tetrodotoxin yet. Time magazine included fugu in its list of the ten most dangerous foods in the world.

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If you touch the insides of a fish with your bare hand, you can die almost immediately. Therefore, the work of those chefs who know how to cook fugu is well paid in Japan. Of course, a person who decides to try this deadly dish must understand that his life completely depends on the skill of the specialist who will prepare it. Therefore, there can be no question of offering this dish at low prices. By the way, the exclusivity of the fugu is added by the fact that its fishing and sale are prohibited in many countries of the world.

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As for Japan, fugu was eaten in this country more than two thousand years ago. Then on for a long time banned. Finally, in 1958, fugu became legal again, but only licensed chefs could cook it. To get it, a person must understand dozens of varieties of fugu and know the safest ways to prepare it. The practical exam for obtaining a license is that the cook himself must eat the entire fugu he prepares. And once in ancient times there was an unofficial law: if a restaurant visitor died from a cooked dish, the cook had to commit seppuku - ritual suicide.

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Cooking fugu is an extremely complex process. All the entrails, liver, and caviar are removed from the fish - they are too dangerous to eat. As a rule, fugu liver is available only to the local elite in establishments closed to prying eyes. The fillet is thoroughly washed, cut into thin slices and served. The chefs' special skill is to leave just enough poison on the surface of the fillet so that the restaurant client remains alive, but at the same time feels his tongue, palate and, sometimes, limbs go numb. In this case, the person feels not only numbness, but also a mild form of euphoria akin to a drug.

It is now relatively safe to consume this dish in good restaurants. But you should not underestimate the danger of fugu. In 1975, all of Japan was shocked by the death of the legendary local kabuki actor Mitsugoro Bando, who was called a “national treasure” in the country. He died of paralysis after eating fugu liver in a Kyoto restaurant. In September 2010, fugu fish soup caused the death of two tourists from Russia.

The most dangerous delicacy in the whole world is fugu. This is the name of a Japanese dish from certain types poisonous fish of the pufferfish family. These marine animals contain an extremely dangerous poison - tetrodotoxin. The poisonous fugu fish is a true legend of Japanese cuisine. Chefs have learned to prepare an extraordinary dish from the deadly animal, which still attracts gourmets from all over the world, despite its danger.

Fugu poison is used in minute quantities as a means of preventing age-related diseases and as a cure for prostate diseases.

Description of the sea animal

The fish itself from which it is prepared unusual dish, is called a rocktooth, dogfish or pufferfish. The puffer fish looks very interesting. Her skin is dark brown in color, covered with light spots. The average body length of the animal is about 30−40 cm, but you can often find representatives longer than 50 cm. Its body is not covered with scales.

Representatives of the pufferfish family feed on the following:

• algae and various protozoa;
• small fish;
• starfish.

If a pufferfish is frightened, it will instantly swell and take on a spherical shape, studded with sharp spines. Thanks to this feature, in this state its size increases three times. This scares away attacking fish. Even if the fugu is swallowed, it will swell in the animal's throat and cause its death.

A frightened puffer fish instantly swells and takes the shape of a ball studded with sharp spines.

Fish toxicity

Fugu is the most poisonous fish in Japan. Due to the fact that the rock tooth contains a high dose of tetrodotoxin, every year there are dozens of deaths around the world due to the consumption of this dish. A logical question arises: why fugu poison does not stop the demand for this dish and people continue to put their health in danger.

Fugu is a delicacy and is often eaten to “tickle your nerves.” The thing is that a properly prepared fugu dish puts a person in a state of mild euphoria, similar to a narcotic one. In this case, some numbness is felt in the limbs, tongue and palate.

The poison of puffer fish in the body is concentrated mainly in the following internal organs:

• in the liver;
• caviar;
• gallbladder;
• skin.

After entering the human body, it blocks the channels nerve cells, contributes to respiratory arrest and muscle paralysis.

There is currently no antidote. But a person poisoned by poisonous puffer fish still has a chance to survive if the victim is promptly connected to artificial ventilation. It is necessary to wait until the end of the action of the toxic substance, while maintaining the functioning of the circulatory and respiratory systems.

Numerous studies have shown that the rocktooth cannot produce the neurotoxin on its own, but acquires it from food. Their greatest concentration of poison is in the ovaries and liver.

Cooking pufferfish

Not every restaurant in Japan offers this unique dish. In order to obtain the right to include dogfish on the menu, sanitary inspectors must provide reports on the conditions and quantity of its storage.

And chefs, in order to have the right to cook puffer fish, must pass an exam in two stages: written and practical. It is extremely difficult to pass, since you need to know all the varieties of this sea animal, as well as clearly study all the methods of detoxification. And during practical stage you need to prepare a fugu dish and eat it yourself.

Fugu fish (pufferfish) is the most expensive and deadly dish in Japanese cuisine.

Representatives of the pufferfish family are prepared as follows:

1. Wash the fish and make an incision around the mouth.
2. Remove the eyes and cut off the spine in one sharp movement and place them in a separate tray.
3. They gut it in such a way that the poison from the internal organs does not get on the meat. All removed organs are also placed in a separate tray.
4. Then you need to turn the rocktooth on its belly and make an incision on the head in order to remove the brain.
5. Cut the remaining meat into fillets and you can cook it.

Currently, in some countries this family of marine animals is artificially bred. They are fed food that does not contain tetrodotoxin, which makes the pufferfish dish safe. Despite this, Japanese residents still prefer the poisonous rocktooth, considering it more tasty and interesting for consumption.

Eating a dangerous food

The average fugu dish costs about $120, and sometimes much more. The most popular fugu fish dish is fugusashi. The dish is presented very beautifully: thin slices raw fish placed on a plate with petals.

Some chefs can create an unusual picture from pieces of fish, for example, landscapes with butterflies or a bird soaring in the sky.

The dish is consumed by dipping the slices in a vinegar sauce called ponzu, asatsuki, momiji oroshi and red pepper. After fugusashi, fugu-zosui is served. This dish is a soup made from the broth of a deadly animal with rice and raw egg, as well as fried pieces of fish fillet.

Fish pieces are served in a certain order:

• the back is served first, which has the most memorable taste and the least toxic;
• then the peritoneum, where it accumulates greatest number poison.

The cook is obliged to monitor the well-being of clients and prevent a person from eating more than a safe dose.

Fugu is a fish of the pufferfish family (Tetraodontidae) containing the poison tetrodotoxin. Our common name is “dog fish” or “ball fish”. Those who want to catch this fish will have to cast a fishing rod in the Atlantic, Indian or Pacific Ocean. Fugu prefers to stay around islands and coral reefs. The fish moves slowly in the water and can swim tail first if desired. When bumping into an unfamiliar object or in case of danger, it suddenly absorbs a large volume of water, and because of this it becomes 3 times larger, taking the shape of a ball.

Puffer fish is " business card» extreme Japanese cuisine. Many people consider this fish to be very poisonous, and they are indeed right, because the poison collected from one adult specimen of this fish can kill 40 people. Tetrodotoxin is a nerve poison that is 1,200 times more potent than potassium cyanide. The process of preparing fish for food comes down to a significant reduction in the poison content to permissible concentration. However, an effective antidote in case of poisoning still does not exist. The only chance for salvation is artificial maintenance of the respiratory and circulatory systems Before the effect of the poison stops, the main thing is to call resuscitation in time.

The Japanese have loved eating fugu fish since ancient times. To prepare fugu fish dishes, the cook must pass two exams (written and practical) and obtain a license. Back in 1598, Japan passed a law requiring all chefs who prepare fugu to obtain a state license to do so. The examinee must have a good understanding of dozens of species of fugu and be able to put into practice several methods of reducing the concentration of poison in fish. A license to cook fish can only be obtained after eating what the student was able to cook in the exam.

Processing fugu fish before cooking

Processing fish before cooking is a rather complex process. The main skill is to quickly cut fish without damaging it internal organs, in which the poison is concentrated. Then the fish meat is washed with running water and beautifully served on a platter. Prices for fugu fish dishes range from $100 to $400. Today in any big city Japan you can find a large number of restaurants offering to taste “deadly” delicacies. Despite the statistics of victims from eating this mysterious fish, when purchasing a dish in an expensive, well-established restaurant, the risk of poisoning is minimal. But he still exists! Maybe this is what makes puffer fish so popular. A special skill among chefs is the ability to leave a very small amount of poison in the fish, which can cause mild narcotic intoxication.

If we talk about poisoning, then according to statistics, about 50 Japanese die every year from eating fugu, although it is correct to say from the inability to properly cook this fish. Mostly, the victims are fishermen who try to cook fish at home that accidentally got caught in their nets, or overly rich, self-confident people who, for an additional fee, persuade cooks to cook them the most tender part of the fish - fugu liver. The maximum concentration of poison is concentrated in the liver and by eating the liver, you are already at a very serious risk.

Puffer fish without poison?

There is an opinion that if puffer fish are artificially grown, the accumulation of poison in its body can be avoided. This is achievable by changing the feeding regime. Research has confirmed that the accumulation of tetrodotoxin poison occurs as a result of fish living in their natural environment. However, Japanese traditions and commercial interests in this matter remain stronger today.

One Japanese proverb says: “he who eats fugu is a fool, but so is he who does not eat.” Dying from fugu poison is a beautiful and quite worthy death for a Japanese.

Apr 23, 2010 Marina

Each culture has its own culinary preferences, and Asian cuisine is considered the most strange, but not because of the abundance of seafood and spicy seasonings. One of the popular and most expensive national dishes of Japan - fugu fish - can become your last meal, even though it was prepared by a real professional. It is very toxic; several dozen people die every year from severe poisoning.

Let's figure out what the appeal of this dangerous fish for gourmets.

Is puffer fish really a fish?

In fact, fugu is the name of the dish. It is prepared from fish of the pufferfish family, genus Takifugu. The species most often used for food is the “brown rocktooth”: dark brown skin with light spots and a white belly; an adult is on average 35-45 centimeters in length. The body is covered with small spines, which are pressed to the body in a calm state. In moments of danger, the rocktooth instantly swells, becoming like a spiky ball. ​

The fry live on the coasts; adult fish can be found at depths of up to 100 meters. The main waters in which you can find them:

The price of fugu dishes varies from 100 to 500 dollars, which is not surprising - a chef who receives a license to prepare pufferfish dishes must undergo a two-year internship and several very strict exams. The responsibilities of the cook include not only preparing food, but also monitoring the condition of the guests. This, in turn, presupposes good medical training, because the optimal dose of fugu is calculated depending on temperament, complexion, and even skin color.

The danger of “fish as big as the palm of your hand”

Why is this little fish so dangerous? Any representative of the pufferfish family contains lethal dose Tetrodotoxin poison, which can kill an adult in a matter of seconds. The concentration of poison is reduced to permissible norm during the processing of fugu, which is why improperly prepared fish is very dangerous.

For cutting fish you need to have great skill, because it is important not to damage the internal organs that contain the poison. With quick blows, the fins and head are cut off, and then the belly is opened. The fillet, cleaned of entrails, is cut very thinly and washed in running water. In addition to meat, skin, fins, and intestines are also used in cooking. They try not to use the liver and ovaries, where the concentration of tetrodotoxin is highest, but cooks can cook these parts of the fish for a lot of money, of course.

Pufferfish can be prepared in different ways, so customers who want to try the fish usually order only fugu. Exists a certain sequence of serving dishes: first come those where the meat from the back was used (this place is considered the most delicious), and then those where the remaining parts were used in order of approaching the peritoneum (the closer, the more poisonous the piece). The most popular dish is Fugusashi (fugu sashimi). Entire paintings are made from slices of raw fish - landscapes, birds, etc.

More recently, scientists have discovered secret of fugu poison. It turns out that tetrodotoxin that accumulates in the fish’s body appears due to the consumption of poisonous algae and starfish. Accordingly, if fugu is grown on a special diet, it becomes completely safe for consumption. However, this news did not produce the expected sensation. People who want to try a dish of rock-toothed fish want only one thing - that paralytic state when only the eyes retain the ability to move. For this, people take mortal risks, even if they are willing to pay high price for fish caught in the spring, when they are most poisonous.