Common name: Purple puffer

Japanese name: Mafugu (真河豚)

Taiwan common name: 紫色多紀魨、正河魨、氣規、規仔

Chinese common name: 紫色多纪鲀

Scientific name: Takifugu porphyreus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1850)

Nigiri sushi detail: Purple puffer (Mafugu) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Purple puffer (Mafugu) is distributed south of Sakhalin on the Sea of Japan side, south of Hokkaido on the Pacific side, East China Sea, and Yellow Sea. It is found mainly in coastal waters. Its body length is about 40 cm. The body is smooth with no small spines. The body color is greenish-black on the dorsal side and white on the ventral side. The season is winter, and compared to Japanese pufferfish (Torafugu), it is caught in larger quantities and is reasonably priced.

The flesh and testes are non-toxic, but the skin and intestines are poisonous. The liver and ovaries are highly poisonous. Its flesh is light and not as tasty as that of Torafugu, but its slightly softer flesh is suitable for nigiri sushi. It can also be deep-fried or cooked in a pot. When used as sashimi, it is best to keep it in the refrigerator for a few days to remove the water.

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