Basashi

Basashi (Horse Sashimi)

A classic Japanese raw-horse-meat sashimi from Kumamoto and surrounding regions, served with grated daikon, fresh onion or garlic, lemon and a sweet soy-based dipping sauce.

Prep

20 min

Total

20 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) lean horse meat (round or shoulder), sashimi-grade, previously frozen for parasite control — see note
• •200 g (7 oz) daikon radish, for grating
• •1/2 whole (1/2 medium) onion, very thinly sliced
• •1 clove fresh garlic, optional, very thinly sliced
• •1 whole lemon, cut into wedges
• •60 ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce
• •40 ml (3 tbsp) mirin
• •20 ml (4 tsp) rice vinegar
• •10 g (2 tsp) grated ginger
• •1 tsp sugar
• •shichimi togarashi, to taste, optional, seven-spice blend
• •1 bunch shiso leaves (perilla), optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 SAFETY NOTE (raw horse meat): In a home kitchen you will most often use commercially prepared basashi, which by Japanese regulation has been frozen to -20°C / -4°F for at least 24 hours (or -35°C / -31°F for 15+ hours) to destroy parasites. If sourcing raw horse meat outside Japan, you must freeze it yourself at -20°C / -4°F for a minimum of 7 days (or -35°C / -31°F until solid and stored for 24 hours) before slicing. Do not skip this step.
2. 2 Make the basashi dipping sauce: in a small bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, grated ginger and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Chill until ready to serve. (Ponzu can be substituted if preferred.)
3. 3 Trim any silver skin or loose connective tissue from the horse meat. Wrap the lean cut in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until firm at the edges but not frozen solid — this makes clean slicing easier.
4. 4 Using a very sharp sashimi knife (yanagiba) or long slicing knife, cut the meat across the grain into paper-thin slices, about 1.5–2 mm thick. Keep the blade angled slightly and use one smooth pulling stroke per slice, wiping the blade with a damp cloth between cuts.
5. 5 Peel and grate the daikon finely. Lightly squeeze out excess moisture and pile in the centre of a chilled ceramic plate. Fan the horse meat slices in overlapping rows around or over the daikon, as in traditional presentation.
6. 6 Arrange the thinly sliced onion, garlic (if using) and shiso leaves (if using) alongside. Place a lemon wedge on the plate.
7. 7 Serve immediately with the chilled dipping sauce and shichimi togarashi on the side. To eat, dip each slice lightly in the sauce, add a small amount of grated daikon, garlic or a squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle with shichimi to taste.