For thousands of years, pufferfish seems to have a natural and irresistible magical power. Su Dongpo called it "worth dying". Even the great writer Lu Xun once wrote a poem: "How can I be melancholy at the end of the year? I drink wine and eat pufferfish."
Although pufferfish has tried its best to warn the world that it is "poisonous", this irresistible delicacy has always tempted the stomachs of bold diners and gourmets for thousands of years.
However, if you want to escape unscathed after a feast, you need to master some knowledge about puffer fish, otherwise it is very likely to become a fatal game. This is by no means alarmist.
Records of human deaths at the hands of pufferfish abound since ancient times. In his travel diary in 1774, explorer James · Cook mentioned that many crew members died of pufferfish poisoning.
White Sauce Pufferfish
This article organizes the knowledge about puffer fish into categories to help you who are unable to resist the temptation of delicious food and avoid these "deadly" pitfalls.
Puffer fish is the common name of puffer fish. In fact, its scientific name is " pufferfish". It also has a more vivid name - " bubble fish". When faced with danger, pufferfish will inhale large amounts of water or air to rapidly expand their bodies to appear more intimidating.
In people’s minds, puffer fish are always full of energy. In fact, most of the time it is not like this, because the poison in its body itself is a super defensive weapon, enough to scare off predators.
This highly toxic puffer fish is called "tetrodotoxin" (tetrodotoxin). It is distributed in fish skin, fish bones, ovaries, intestines and other parts, especially fish liver toxin is the most concentrated.
If you want to taste authentic fugu cuisine, you have to go to Japan. Japan, which has been deeply obsessed with the freshness of fugu since ancient times, has about 3,800 fugu restaurants.
Of course, if you want to become a "fugu chef", you must undergo years of rigorous training and pass a professional exam before graduation - to prepare a delicious puffer fish dish, the key is to eat it yourself.
The pufferfish dishes in most restaurants are made into very thin sashimi. If you want to describe the taste of pufferfish, many people have different opinions. A considerable number of people think it is a bit like chicken, but "tender, smooth, and gelatinous." However, its taste is recognized as “rich in texture”.
If you want to ask, where can I buy fresh puffer fish? I would still strongly recommend that you go directly to the restaurant. If you want to buy pre-processed pufferfish on the market and cook it at home, please remember to make sure that the other party holds a qualification certificate.
Although 1-2 milligrams (about the size of a pinhead) of tetrodotoxin is lethal, prepared fish meat (and even parts of the internal organs) are safe to eat. However, the sale of the most toxic fish liver is prohibited in Japan, and the consumption of puffer fish is prohibited in the entire EU region.
Some people also like to try puffer fish that retains trace amounts of toxins. The tingling sensation on their lips will make them feel the irritation of chewing. Of course, the dangers of this approach are self-evident. Once the toxins are not controlled well, dosage, the consequences are disastrous.
Pufferfish skin vinegar
There is currently no cure for tetrodotoxin in the world. People who are poisoned usually feel dizzy, speak incoherently, and then their muscles begin to become paralyzed, eventually leading to suffocation or even death.
Thick-cut pufferfish
What is even more frightening is that tetrodotoxin cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier, which means that although the central nervous system of the poisoned person is gradually paralyzed, his consciousness always remains awake. There is a saying that it is impossible to live or to die, which is very despairing.
1, the pufferfish restaurant will place the inedible pufferfish viscera and fish bones in a sealed container, and then transport them to a designated location for incineration and destruction.
2, if you want to go to Japan to taste puffer fish, then the best time is January to February every year.
3, female pufferfish tend to have higher levels of "tetrodotoxin" than male pufferfish.
4, the production of tetrodotoxin is related to the living environment and feeding habits of puffer fish. At present, many aquatic products companies have restricted the diet of puffer fish to raise "toxic puffer fish".
Many restaurants have launched "non-toxic pufferfish" fish liver dishes, but many diners still stay away from pufferfish liver
5. Pufferfish is widely distributed in waters around the world and is not a niche delicacy. In addition to Japan, China, the United States, and South Korea Many countries have specialized puffer fish restaurants.
6, if you are interested in "horror-themed" Japanese figures, then the "Pufferfish Skin Lantern" would be a good choice. In addition, the "Pufferfish Skin Toys" and "Pufferfish Skin Waterproof Wallet" are also worth a look.
