#Fugu puffer fish how to
#Fugu puffer fish license

One popular chain specializing in fugu is Zuboraya, which has two locations in Osaka. In Japan, they are called fugu and are a very expensive, delicious treat. There is enough poison in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote. My guess is he was obviously not licensed to serve it and didn’t want anyone finding out he had it. Most pufferfish contain a toxic substance that makes them foul tasting and potentially deadly to other fish. Fugu ( or ) is the Japanese word for pufferfish and the dish prepared from it, normally species of genus Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides, or po. He quickly said “no, no” and proceeded to go take the fish in the back. Expressing curiosity, we asked the chef if that was fugu. We were in a small sushi bar during this trip and saw what appeared to be a pufferfish in the cold case, ready to be cut up. While this may seem like common sense, some people do not take the time to find what restaurants specialize in fugu, or more importantly, are licensed to serve fugu. Stick to Licensed and Reputable Fugu Restaurants If you think that is tough, imagine the licensing examination – with a pass rate of less than 40%! The licensing process involved a written exam, fish identification test, and the best part – a practical test where applicants have to prepare and consume the fugu. Chefs undergo multi-year apprenticeships learning the proper way to cut and prepare fugu.

#Fugu puffer fish license

It might make you feel slightly better to learn that obtaining a license to sell fugu is no small feat. While there is no antidote, medical advances have come a long way in helping decrease the fatality rate from accidental fugu poisoning. On average, less than 70 people are hospitalized each year for fugu poisoning, with a fatality rate of less than 10%. Statistics show that most of the fugu related deaths come from people eating at unlicensed establishments and fishermen in some countries who catch and attempt to clean it themselves.

Stick to Licensed and Reputable Fugu Restaurants.

Some men want to buy a new sports car, mine wants to eat poisonous fish. My initial instinct was panic and fear and figuring this must be his version of a mid-life crisis.

#Fugu puffer fish how to

Mind you, this is the man who barely learned how to eat sushi a few years ago and now wants to advance to “Culinary Russian Roulette”! We were traveling in the southern part of Japan that trip and had come back up to Osaka to finish off his birthday week. It wasn’t until probably my 5th or so trip to Japan that my husband decided he wanted to try fugu. What wasn’t on my radar was fugu, or pufferfish, one of the deadliest foods in the world. I was excited to try fresh sushi and sashimi, ramen, soba, and udon noodles, yakitori and deep-fried meat on a stick. When I think back to traveling Japan for the first time, the food is one of the things that most stands out in my mind. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Email