Last December, we embarked on a long day trip to Shimonoseki, a port town in Yamaguchi Prefecture famous for its puffer fish (a.k.a blowfish) haul. It is said that more than 80 percent of the country’s puffer fish supply is sourced from here. We missed out on the auction because it was way too early in the morning, so we could only snake through the stalls dishing out elaborate platters of puffer fish sashimi (fugu, ふぐ) and all its associated body parts wrapped neatly on styrofoam trays. While walking through the market and observing the surroundings, I felt like I was observing pieces of art assembled together by master artisans, but in this case, they were the products of chefs skilled and licensed in the cutting and preparation of puffer fish. I see lorries loaded with polystyrene boxes of puffer fish that had been auctioned off in the morning and several vendors preparing order lists for those who have arrived to make their orders in preparation for the New Year's period. Pufferfish is a popular delicacy in winter when it is savored in hotpot dishes at family get-togethers. I also chanced upon a vendor selling whale meat, but because I wanted to make sure that it was so, I asked her again to confirm my doubts. これは鯨ですか? (Is this whale meat?) はい、そうです。 (Yes, that's right.) It was bloody, tough, and didn't look appetising. I suppose she saw it in my eyes, and didn't pursue if I was going to make a purchase. I walked past the vendors specialising in fugu and asked if I could take photographs of the sashimi platters (even if I was not going to buy them, they clearly knew I was just passing through). 写真を撮っていいですか? (Is it okay if I take a picture?) どうぞ。フグ刺身は美味しいですよ。特に鍋物。 (Go ahead. Fugu sashimi is delicious, you know. Especially in hotpot dishes.) I snapped some photographs and continued my way through the vendors who were caught up with their order and delivery forms. There is undoubtedly a demand for pufferfish in this part of Japan where bulk of the haul occurs here in Shimonoseki. Besides, this dish is particularly popular as the puffer fish are at the peak of their growth in the cold winter months from December to February. My trip to Shimonoseki was primarily to see puffer fish swimming in tanks, but I left without seeing them. Maybe it was because I didn't try hard enough. I don't even know if I can endure the sight of them turning into sashimi, while they are still alive, struggling and trying to gasp for a bit more air till their final breath. I recently came to know about this Japanese method of killing fish that is called 'ikejime' (いけじめ / 活〆) and is claimed to be more humane than other methods and likely to result in tastier fish. This method extends the length of time for which the flesh remains its freshness after it is fished out of the water. This means that chefs can experiment with a greater range of textures by means of varying the development of umami (a characteristic taste present in broths and cooked meat) as the fish ages. The fish also ends its life in the least stressful way when ikejime is applied. No matter what the method is, there must still be a degree of pain felt - whether it is the initial gasping for air, or the tolerating of pain that domestic animals have to go through knowing that their lives are going to end sooner or later. In all honesty, if I were to ever witness a live killing of an animal, I would probably stay away from meat consumption completely. This is because I would have seen how horrifying it would be for the animals to go through the stages of being slaughtered. (I have been avoiding documentaries and videos after chancing upon some on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA.) We might or might not have firsthand experiences to be aware of the processes that are behind the scenes of the food prepared and laid on our dinner tables. This is perhaps why there is not enough instrinsic motivation that urges us to take immediate action on our own dietary preferences and lifestyles. Truth be told, it's a tall order for me to abstain from meat completely. I have tried going without it for a month, but realised that it took me a lot of self-restraint and perseverance to avoid consuming meat. Vegetarian options are rare in Japan and they aren't cheaper or worth the amount you are paying for. For some unfathomable reason, vegetables and fruits are more expensive than meat and seafood. Meat and seafood dishes are aplenty and in demand, coupled with the chef's recommendations on restaurant menu boards. You are lured in by these headings, #1 シェフのおすすめ (#1 Chef's recommendations) or 本日のおすすめ (The day's recommendations). The dishes sound tempting, tasty and you can almost feel your mouth watering. How is one able to resist such food temptations? Don't we live to eat and savor good food? Don't we wish to eat well and nutritiously especially when we have the money to spend? It always feels like a mental tug-o-war when it comes to food choices especially when we eat out, attempting to keep in mind our dietary preferences. Our choices are restricted to what is on the menu, often featuring a dazzling array of the dishes available. And exactly because of that, we can only choose based on what we can or cannot eat. Or we are likely to pass on the ingredients to someone else who can eat them for us. I am not trying to say that home-cooked food is the best way to go, but for me, it is the most convenient and practical way of trying to go green, be more conscious about the ingredients I am using and do my part for the environment at the same time. Not to mention, it is a pocket-friendly tip too.
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