If
you’re thinking of making sushi at home,
you’ll need the right tools. While most
casual sushi-makers just use their ordinary
cutlery to make sushi, the true sushi
artisans use a knife specifically designed
for sushi. We’ll go over the traits of a
good sushi knife, and what makes it
different from typical Western knives.
A traditional sushi knife would be made out
of the same material as a katana sword: fine
carbon steel. Modern sushi knives are not
made of such premium material; if they were,
they would be unaffordable for most chefs.
Instead, they’re usually made of
high-quality stainless steel, although the
top-end sushi knives still use carbon
alloys.
Sushi knives are sharpened differently than
the knives in most people’s kitchens. Your
typical Western knife is sharpened on both
sides of the blade, while a sushi knife is
sharpened on only one side. This makes the
knives either right- or left-handed, so make
sure you know which is which when you’re
looking for a sushi knife of your own. This
method of sharpening is preferred by sushi
chefs, who need a high level of precision to
cleanly cut seaweed-wrapped rolls. If you’ve
ever tried to cut a homemade handroll with a
knife that’s not perfectly sharp, you’ll
understand why.
Sushi knives are usually manufactured
thinner than your typical Western knife set.
Again, this is for precise, clean cuts. A
thin knife will cut through vegetables and
seaweed without the need to move it from
side to side, and without causing unsightly
damage to the food after the cut is made.
Raw fish is very soft—and yet a sushi
artisan will labor over the perfect slice.
If you have a razor-sharp, properly weighted
sushi knife, all you need is to place the
edge of the knife on top of the fish and
drag it gently forward. The knife’s weight
and sharpness will do the rest. The result
is a clean, graceful slice. A sushi knife
should be correctly weighted—not too heavy
in the front, or your arm will tire quickly
when using it. Look for a knife that has
part of the blade embedded in the handle to
even out the balance.
There are many different types of sushi
knives, each designed for a different
purpose. The three most commonly used ones
are the yanagi ba, fugu hiki and tako hiki.
Tako hiki are the all-purpose knives. Yanagi
ba are long and thin, and are designed for
use on octopus and squid meat. Fugu hiki are
designed specifically to handle the infamous
fugu puffer fish, whose poison can kill a
grown man in thirty minutes if it is not
properly prepared.
Other knives are also used in different
situations. Some sushi knives, like those
for cutting whole salmon and tuna, can be as
long as six feet. There are knives for eel,
vegetables, beef, and chicken. There are
knives for different stages of fish
processing, such as dismembering, filleting,
paring, and slicing. While most casual sushi
makers will have only one all-purpose sushi
knife, a true master will have an extensive
set.
Sushi knives are often perfectly designed
for the task of preparing sushi. However,
you can still make delicious sushi at home
without buying an expensive specialty knife.
Just make sure the knife you have is good
and sharp, and you should be able to cut
your rolls well, if not perfectly. No matter
your level of expertise—and your amount of
kitchen tools—sushi is easy and fun to
prepare in the home.
Have a question, comment, or
suggestion?Chef Ozaki
loves to talk with his customers—both at the
restaurant and online.Feel free to email him at
Ozaki@Allsushirecipes.com if you have any
questions—or any suggestions on how he can
make this site better
Find local
Japanese sushi bar restaurant at
Allsushirecipes.com