When preparing fish, it is sprinkled with salt 30 minutes to one hour before cooking. Sushi chefs also salt fish for almost the same purpose. This is called Shiojime. Shiojime brings out excess moisture and fish odor from the fish. At the same time, the proteins that make up the fish’s muscles dissolve, giving it tenacity. The result is that the fish meat gets resiliency. Another objective is to eliminate the bacteria on the surface of the fish. In sushi preparations, Shiojime is often followed by Sujime. The amount of vinegar that permeates the fish depends on the circumstances of Shiojime, so it is an extremely delicate task.
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Revision date: May 14, 2021
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