The Fugu Fish: How to Prepare it and Why is it Dangerous

Japan is known for their unique taste of foods, and their unique ways of preparing it. Many dishes have originated from Japan and were loved by many, Japanese or not. One of those is the Fugu fish or a puffer fish. This is prepared only by licensed chefs in Japan since it is known to be poisonous if one step of the preparation fails. A minute mistake will eventually cause the death of the one eating it.

Many have appealed these cases of death but still, nothing can stop a curious stomach from the taste of this so-called “toxic meal”. And the experts allowed to cook this shared how they serve a safe and delicious Fugu Sashi.

How to prepare Fugu Sashi?

The main and only point in preparing this food is that to remove its poisonous content called tetrodotoxin which is found everywhere in the fish’s body but its flesh.

1. Since it has no scales, directly remove the skin. Start from the cutting around the fish’s mouth and from there, and pull the skin off.

2. Using salt (any salt), wash off the jelly found.

3. Next, the eyes must be removed.

4. (For this step, remember to use a well sharpened and a very good knife.) Gut the fish carefully without puncturing the ovaries and liver of the fish. If those organs burst, the toxins will be released and to eat the fish’s flesh would be impossible.

5. Fillet. Just like any other sashimi.

6. Lastly, cut the head at most three slices and boil. This is good for stew.

Always bear in mind that you cannot simply try this at home. Only kitchen experts with a license can. You can’t bear losing a life just out of curiosity right?

What are the effects of Fugu fish poisoning?

If heated for more than 428°F (220°C), Tetrodotoxin (TTX) darkens. It is originally colorless, and is crystalline solid. Usually, this is found in the liver and sex organs of some kinds of fish including the famous puffer fish.
TTX is disseminated to the human body by taking in of foods that are not properly served, and found to be in a presence of this poison. Ingestion of these foods could lead to the following:

• Numbness around mouth
• Paralysis
• (and finally) death

As a matter of fact, TTX moves rapidly and violently and is a thousand more potent than cyanide.

Conclusion
Medical experts of today haven’t found the antidote for this poison no matter how hyped up science and technology is. If you want to avoid an easy death, abstinence of those foods no matter how tasty they are is the sole solution. But no one can stop an adventurous and courageous soul to try the famous fugu sashimi, and the only way for that is to go to Japan and look for a known restaurant with government licensed chefs who are allowed to prepare this dish.