Enjoying pufferfish in Japan

Being a seafood lover, before heading to Japan, I planned to try this incredibly unique and exotic dish at least once in my life. It was both a culinary experience and a thrilling adventure. As everyone knows, pufferfish is one of the most poisonous creatures in the world. Its body contains tetrodotoxin – an extremely potent neurotoxin; just 1mg is enough to cause an adult's agonizing death. In Vietnam, many people have lost their lives after consuming this dish when it hasn't been properly prepared and the toxins removed.

Japan's "Pufferfish Religion"

Japan is one of the few nations (alongside Israel) that I greatly admire. It seems that everything about them is elevated to a standardized, elaborate level, called "way" or "way" in this country that gave birth to Shintoism: Bushido, the Tea Ceremony, even the "joyful socializing with girls" is given a very noble and elegant name: Geisha.

Therefore, chefs qualified to prepare and cook pufferfish (Fugu) must undergo approximately two years of training and two years of experience, along with rigorous examinations requiring only perfect scores, before receiving a government certificate and being allowed to practice. That's why, in Japan's nearly 130 million population, the number of Fugu chefs has never exceeded 20!

Leaving behind the ultra-luxurious shops on the legendary Ginza street (where land costs an average of 8 billion VND per square meter), we followed the directions and made our way to a restaurant solely to devour this Fugu dish. The group was a mix of excitement and nervousness, joking with each other: "Well, if something happens, we'll all go together. Down there, we'll have company, and it won't be so lonely. We can occasionally go for some 'Underworld' draft beer."

We were a little disappointed that our wish to watch the chef demonstrate the process of butchering, filleting, and preparing the fugu wasn't fulfilled. We went straight up to the 4th floor to wait and enjoy our meal. Tokyo is a place where land is incredibly expensive, so I had the impression that every apartment, house, and shop was cramped. But it was spotlessly clean. The cleanliness didn't seem to come from meticulous cleaning and tidying up… like in Singapore or Seoul, but rather from within, from the very nature of this country. They utilize every centimeter, no, every millimeter of space. Once we were settled inside, when we asked the waiter where to hang our coats, scarves, and hats, they pointed to the area below our seats: a long, hollow box-shaped bench designed to be raised and lowered for customers to store their belongings – very useful and safe, typical Japanese style!

Preparing pufferfish with all the best techniques.

The main course, like a hot pot, is a bit strange: the sliced ​​fish, vegetables, and noodles are placed on a piece of paper folded into a chrysanthemum shape. It's probably a thin sheet of metal, because paper doesn't conduct heat or survive high temperatures, does it?

Thinly sliced ​​pieces of raw pufferfish, dipped in Fugu-sashi (a soy sauce and dashi broth made from dried tuna and seaweed mixed with raw fat and fish roe), are neatly arranged in the shape of a chrysanthemum – a flower symbolizing longevity and noble qualities in Japanese culture – and served one by one.

The most impressive dish was the bowl of raw pufferfish skin, cleaned, thinly sliced, and mixed with finely chopped onions and scallions. Looking at the bowl of skin, still retaining its original color as when the pufferfish was alive, everyone in the group hesitated, but after dipping their chopsticks in… trying it… chewing… they all exclaimed in delight. My friend sitting next to me groaned, just like when he sees a Miss Universe contestant strutting in a bikini on a crowded street: "It's so delicious… it'll make your tongue tingle!"

It was truly delicious, the best and most expensive meal I've ever had. The flavors were even more intense and satisfying when the fried fish was served and the rice was topped with the hot pot broth. As someone who's quite knowledgeable about seafood and has an voracious appetite, I don't know how to describe it, but as I'm typing these words, my mouth is watering.

This goes to show that even something as poisonous as pufferfish, when prepared correctly and enduring hardships, can become a delicacy. It's like women: no matter how fierce and sharp-tongued they are, if you know how to navigate the right situation, they'll eventually become as gentle as a nun. "High risk, high return"—that's exactly what it means!

Finally, it was time to leave. As we walked, we admired the scenery and kept an eye out for anyone who might get poisoned and collapse, so we could help each other. Nobody seemed to get hurt. We just knew that pufferfish is very nutritious, but probably a little poisonous. It was as if everyone had been infected with a "love potion," so they all looked dazed and completely captivated by Tokyo and Japan from the very first time they set foot in this country…

...Fugu!

Le Hong Lam