Sashimi

Sashimi is a popular dish consisting of very fresh mostly raw meat or fish sliced into thin pieces.

Often served alongside sushi, sashimi is also often the first course in a formal Japanese meal, but it can also be the main course, presented with rice and miso soup in separate bowls. Japanese chefs consider sashimi the finest dish in Japanese formal dining and recommend that it be eaten before other strong flavours affect the palate.

Although most sashimi is served raw, some ingredients, such as octopus, are sometimes served cooked and tataki is a type of sashimi which is quickly and lightly seared outside, leaving it raw inside.