Chronicles of a Blue Water Hunter

[miles]

Hiya

Sorry to say, but i'm clueless when it comes to things like sushi/sashimi/etc.

So how about some info!!!! Something like "dummies guide to raw fish!!!"

Always willing to try out ANY new culinary delight!!

Regards
miles

[island_sands]

sies on you
i tell you who the sushi fundi is.. it's Pablo. he knows how to make it.. he gave me some really good culinary "tips"

[Spearooo]

One word:
Ponzu sauce

[bluecape]

Hey Miles

Your weekend stories and pics are great, becoming part of my sunday evening ritual..." I think I'll log onto DB and see how Miles's weekend was...!!!" :=)

Gotta join you sometime, this weekend coming am off to Knysna to hunt some Cracker/ Garrick/Steenbras. Hope water plays ball, but will post some pics even if not for DB regulars to see my favourite spot !

For my weekend, went to False bay yesterday, A-Frame, and was greeted by beautiful, flat, turquiose water, and not a single diver. :confused

I broke the cardinal rule and ended up jumping in alone on a shore entry, and had an hour's dive just off A-Frame in epic conditions. Saw a nice Galjoen, but never got within range, and he left the area not to be seen again, sadly. Lots of Hotties, Dassies, a few Wildeperd and tons of butterfish, so had lots of company, but nothing that was really big enough to warrant me shooting it. So just enjoyed the great Viz, colours and Apnea in general ! Must say, the corridor near A-Frame is the only place a friend has encountered a GW whilst on scuba, and my dive happened to be in that corridor. No reason that he is a regular, but it just pops up into my mind everytime I level out on the reef bottom and look into the 'blue'.

[miles]

Hiya

Pablo!!!!!!!!! Where are you?? Your culinary skills are needed here!!!!

Spearoo, Ponzo Sauce.............now i'm even more confused!!!!

Bluecape, tuff luck on the galgoen!!!! I hate it when they are skittish and don't want to come into range. Heard that the guys got good 'tail at Bellows on Saturday. Ah well, you can't get it right every weekend!!! Should've known better though, with all that baitfish and warm water, it was just a matter of time until the 'tail came in.

Good luck with the 'cracker hunting. Some tips i picked up in my very limited cracker hunts..........use a reelgun, no floatline to give your position away and no hassles of getting your floatline entangled with the reefs/rocks. Overweight yourself (be VERY carefull here!!!), as most hunting is done in 1-3m water. Wedge yourself into cracks/crevices just outside the white water around pinnacles/reefs. If possible, try to find big cracks/crevices with shadows over them. I've had a 10kg cracker swim 30cm past my mask whilst hiding in such a crack. They just don't see you. (didn't get to shoot that fish though!!). Avoid using SS spears. The shine on the spears tend to frighten them(i always thought that it'd attract them). Also don't shoot any other fish when hunting cracker in the shallows, it scares them away. My buddy bangs two rocks together and it seems to work for him, i've tried but haven't had much sucess. Most importantly.............post some pictures of that 10kg+ cracker that you ARE going to shoot!!!

Next time you're up for a dive, just drop me a pm and join us!!!

Regards
miles

[Rolando]

Originally posted by Spearooo
One word:
Ponzu sauce

One Other Word: True! Yep, Ponzu does the trick! Perhaps one of our Miami members can log in and give his "secret" recipes.

Good report and catch Milers! Keep 'em cuming!


I Rabiteched some morsals just yesterday, including the two pictured, diving with a few members of this forum. Don't feel like using my own thread for it, hope you don't mind me putting them in yours. Be safe out there in those "sharky" waters.

Adios,

[miles]

Hiya Rolando

Nice fish!!! I've learn't a new word
today ........"Rabiteched!!!!" Hope you don't mind if i use it in the future!! I'm going to get me some reading material on this whole sushi thing. Will keep every-one posted about the expedition into the world of culinary delights!!!! (seems like i'm the only bugger that hasn't tried it yet!!)

Regards
miles

[Spearooo]

Ponzu sauce is basacally soyy souce but much better. You can buy it premade or make it yourself. I usually buy it but I have heard of some interesting variations. One of wich includes soy, lemon juice, honey, powdered garlic and rice vinegar. I also heard about adding bonito flakes and chili powder..Im just starting my sushi obsssesion but im sure other members will have some more insight.. For sashimi MAke sure to bleed and promptly ice your catch and only use the freshest fish..all I do is fillet, takeoff skin cut out bones as slice as thim as possible. Arrange on a plate with some shreded onions maybe some shreded carrots or radish as well, sprinkle with a few seaseme seeds and serve with ponzu and tereyaki for dipping. sometimes ill take mayonaise and mix it with hot sauce and serve that too, each in a little diping cup on the side. and another favorite sacue is mayo, lemon peel, ginger, galric powder, salt ,and a dash of rice vinegar. The key to sushi in my opinion is in the sauces and presentation, of course the the fish is most important factor in the equation.....get chopsticks and enjyoy
hope it helps a bit

[Rafael Palmerio]

Here's the real deal!


1. Equal parts vinegar (I use red wine vinegar because it could be found in every store anywhere, and white vinegar for some reason I associate a woman cleansing ... ... well, never mind that. Rice vinegar for me is not very acid, could be expensive and not stocked in most stores), soy sauce (this is the key, using GOOD soy sauce; either Yamasa or Kikkoman will do. If you cannot find any of two, fried the fish, sprinkle some lemon, layback with a lager and forget the sushi: soy sauce is the KEY to sushi so you must use a good one), and lemon juice (not picky about this one, you could use the yellow or the green ones and your neighbor if he turns into a purple lemon)

2. Pour (think about when a bartender splashes a [touch of water when you order a scotch and water from the bar] just a splash of orange juice (yes, it could be from a carton but must be 100% juice.....of course, a fresh orange will be do).

That's it for now. Mix it, try it and play with it. Add perhaps a bit more soy sauce if you find it too acidic. Play with it until you get the flavor or balance that you like........just as long as you use the aforementioned ingredients.

I don't recommend honey because the acidity of the vinegar and lemon and the saltiness of the soy, will bring the sweetness of the raw fish to life. If a sweetner such as honey is added, your palate will struggle to appreciate the very subtle sweetness of the fish. In layman's term, overkill.

Once you have mastered the art of "simple" Pon zu making, then we could talk about adding Dashi or Hana-Katsuo. I'll stay tuned.

Have fun and don't be scared. Use a freshly caught fish and as Spearoooo said, "...slice the fish very thin, a style the Japs dubbed as Uzuzukuri.

See ya!

[Pablo]

Island_sands seem to like my raw eating tips... anytime darling !

Seriously is a bit hard to explain with my clumsy english... nothing like a demo!

Raw fish is raw fish, and the trick is on the fish preparation. As say Rafael bleed to fish is an imperative... Each fish and fillet have a different way to be cut, but generally is against the fibber of the meat. A good razor sharp knife should get you the slices on a single stroke... a bit of practice helps!

They are many recipes for raw fish: sushi, sashimi, futomaki... (my Japanese spelling s*cks!!!).
One of my friends favorites:

Take a nice belly filet (softer than the back) form a 20Kg tail , remove the red area and clean lose bits to have a nice and uniform shape (need to be thick).
Roast some white sesame on a hot pan with out stop removing until golden.
Heat until smoking some olive oil and roll the filet until the outside have a nice color (1-2 min max).
Let relax for a couple of min.

During this time tie a small bunch of spring onions and fry it on the oil left until soft.
Crush a tea spoon of the roast sesame seeds, add some wasawi powder, soya sauce, and the spring onions... 5 min of resting to let the aromas develop.

Now you can cut the filet on really thin slices (no more than 1-2mm, less if you can) and keeping everything on a nice order (don't lay the slices flat... better all against each other like rebuilding the filet). The fish is raw... just the outside 2mm should be cooked.

Sprinkle with the roast sesame left (don't be sparse), and serve with wood sticks... raw fish doesn't like metal.

The idea is to pick some fish, have a small dip on the sauce and straight on to the mouth.

Seem like a lot of work, but the results are worth it and island_sands can not resist...

The roe is best smoked, but not too hot or they will dry out.

Miles, you have one more reason to show up over here: SA kingfish are not big enough!!!

[island_sands]

now i am really in love!


how can you do this to me when i am breakfasting on cheese and wholewheat crackers, when i'd rather be on miso soup and a couple of california rolls???

[Pablo]

huhhhh... miso sup with smoke marlin and some sea weed is the first think after the swimming!

[island_sands]

hmmm... what about sailfish sashimi? i had that on a resort here in Maldives (you should see our sailfish they are incredible!)
smoked marlin... oh man...

*chomping away on crackers feeling suicidal*

[Pablo]

Hard to cut properly, but delicious... cold smoke is nice too. I have a couple of Kg on the freezer for rices or soups.
Keep as well some dry smoke trout for the miso soups... to have a change...

[miles]

Hiya

Thanx for the recipes guys!!!! Armed with these, i'm eager to start my culinary adventure!!!!

Pablo, yeah, looks like i'll have to come visit sometime soon!!! I'll just sharpen my skills on our little "runt" kingies!!

Regards
miles