Blowfish

11.06.2015 The fish with a fatal attraction

Just as women find roses irresistible despite their thorns, Japanese gourmets eagerly brave the risk of deadly poison to dine on fugu (blowfish). The lives of many bravehearted connoisseurs have been claimed by the tetrodotoxin in fugu ovaries and liver. But proper restaurants with licensed chefs can be relied on for safe fugu, which is grilled, boiled, deep fried, dried, served in hotpots, fried in tempura batter or sliced fresh and served as fugusashi (fugu sashimi). Grilled hirezake (fugu fin in hot sake) is another favorite. Those trying fugu for the first time are encouraged to order it deep fried. But nothing compares with the beauty and flavor of thinly sliced fugu sashimi, artistically layered like flower petals on a plate.