【Reading】きりつけ

【English Name】Kiritsuke (neta slicing)

Kiritsuke refers to the process of slicing sushi toppings from a block (saku) of sashimi. It is a technique directly tied to the perfection of nigiri-zushi and is one of the scenes that tests a chef's skill.

A representative method is 'sogi-zukuri,' in which the knife is laid at a slant and the slice is drawn thinly, finishing the topping with a broad surface area. The basic placement of the block is 'mukodaka' (far side high), with the low surface toward the front and the high surface toward the back, placing the skin side so it touches the cutting board.

Because the size of the topping is determined by the initial length at which the knife meets the block, the angle at the start of the cut governs the finish. For tuna or salmon, a general guideline is about 3 cm wide, 8–10 cm long, and around 12–15 g.

Adjusting the thickness for each fish species is also essential. Fatty fish are sliced thin, while lean red flesh with little fat is sliced thick, as a rule. For tuna, the blade is inserted at a right angle to the grain, and at the last few millimeters the tip of the blade is stood up to sever it. For elastic materials such as squid and octopus, a slightly thicker slice is drawn to bring out the texture. The ironclad rule is not to push the knife in, but to draw it through in a large motion from the heel of the blade to the tip.