【Reading】かわひき

【English Name】Kawahiki (skin removal)

Kawahiki is one of the basic techniques of Japanese cuisine for removing the skin from fish flesh, and it is an indispensable process in preparing sashimi and sushi toppings.

A fillet of fish that has been cut into a block is placed on the cutting board skin side down, and while firmly holding the tail-side end with the fingers, the blade of the knife is inserted between the skin and the flesh and drawn along as if sliding. The trick is to tilt the blade slightly toward the skin side, so that only the thin skin is peeled off while leaving the flesh without waste.

Most white-fleshed fish such as sea bream, flounder, and sea bass are subjected to kawahiki before being made into nigiri or sashimi. On the other hand, for shiny-skinned fish (hikarimono) such as horse mackerel (aji) and mackerel (saba), the common method is to peel off the thin skin by hand after vinegar-curing, which is sometimes distinguished from kawahiki by knife.

Because umami components and fat are concentrated between the skin and the flesh, the skill of kawahiki is directly tied to the flavor of the topping. The more skilled the chef, the more they can finish it smoothly without leaving the flesh thin, it is said. Note that depending on the fish species there are also techniques such as 'kawashimo-zukuri' and 'yakikiri,' in which the fish is seared with the skin left on; these are known as approaches that make use of the skin's umami in a manner contrasting with kawahiki.