Sashimi is the Japanese dish of fresh raw seafood cut into thin slices and served without sushi rice. It is commonly accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi, and garnishes such as shredded daikon or shiso leaves.
The essential distinction between sashimi and sushi is rice. Sushi requires vinegared rice, whether the seafood is raw, cooked, or absent altogether. Sashimi, by contrast, presents the seafood itself as the central element. Tuna, salmon, squid, flounder, and sea bream are among the ingredients often prepared this way, while some items may be lightly seared or served cooked depending on texture and tradition.
Japanese chefs use different cutting styles to suit the ingredient. Hira-zukuri produces standard flat slices, usu-zukuri creates extremely thin diagonal slices, and ito-zukuri cuts seafood into fine threads. Knife work, freshness, seasonality, and texture are all important to the dish.
The word sashimi is written with characters meaning “pierced body” or “pierced flesh,” though its exact historical explanation is debated. The dish is sometimes served in a formal meal before stronger flavors, allowing the subtle taste of the seafood to stand out.