Fish Fatale

To be sure, I wasn’t totally without fear when going for freshly made blowfish, time and again during my Seoul trips last year.  But it was a delightful surprise to find a local specialty with Japanese characteristics – something different from the rampantly popular bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef) and samgyetang (highly nourishing chicken broth with ginseng) in town. 

fish tank... the danger zone

According to my primitive knowledge, blowfish is ‘fugu’ in Japanese.  A notorious delicacy of Asian origin, it is poisonous and one-of-a-kind yummy at the same time (check here for ‘fugu’ detailed in its Japanese context). I had come across blowfish sashimi offered in winter season menus, but in Korea they have it in boiling hot stew too. So I was seated comfortably at a homey table, outside all windy at subzero temperature. Then the savory fish stew, side dishes and rice were served altogether in traditional utensils.  It was instantly gratifying.

comfort zone

Later I learned that the stew was made with blowfish cutlets, radish, scallions, tofu, bean sprouts, and parsley. For seasonings, sake, pepper, sesame oil, and chili pepper optional. Reasonably simple recipe, I think all the secondary ingredients serve to enhance the sweetness and compliment the chewy texture of the white fish.

Once again, blowfish contains deadly poison and in Japan, it would take years of training for a chef to qualify preparing the dangerous fugu for guests. I suppose the mixed feeling of danger, scarcity and deliciousness really works its spell on some adventurous eaters…