GET TO KNOW SUSHI

- What is SUSHI  
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- Types of SUSHI
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- History of SUSHI (came from China)
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- SUSHI Nutrition - Low in Fat
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- SUSHI Vocabulary
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- How to eat SUSHI

- WHAT IS SUSHI?  Not Just Raw Fish
Is sushi equal to raw fish? No. Raw fish is called sashimi in Japan and is not the same as sushi. Sushi indicates foods that use rice seasoned with sweet rice-wine vinegar. Of course, raw fish is the most popular ingredient in sushi, but the main element of sushi is Japanese sticky rice. There are many kinds of sushi, which don't include raw fish. Cooked fish, shellfish, and various other ingredients can be combined in sushi.

- TYPES of SUSHI
    Nigiri - Finger Rolled Sushi
Hand-pressed mounds of rice with a dab of wasabi and a slice of raw fish/shellfish/other ingredients on top. Popular nigiri-zushi are maguro (tuna), toro (belly of tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), ebi (shrimp), tamago (omlet), anago (grilled sea-eel), uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), ika (squid), tako (boiled octopus), hotategai (scallop), and so on.

    Maki - Sushi
Sushi rolls wrapped by seaweed (nori). This is also called norimaki. There are many kind of sushi roll: Tekkamaki - raw tuna roll, Kappamaki - cucumber, Futomaki (fat roll sushi) - 4-8 ingredients (Includes kampyo (seasoned gourd strips), oboro or denbu sweet powder, tamago sweet omelet, and shiitake mushrooms).

    Inari - Sushi
-aburaage - deep-fried tofu pouches- stuffed with sushi rice).
This sushi is brown and oval-shaped. It has a sweet taste.

    Chirashi - Mixed Sushi
Spread different ingredients (includes raw fish, shiitake mushroom, omlet, seaweed, and more) over seasoned rice on a dish.

- HISTORY of SUSHI (came from China)
The origin of sushi is not Japan. It is said that sushi was introduced into Japan in the 7th century from China. People began making sushi to preserve fish by fermentation when there were no refrigerators. Since salt and rice were needed in order to ferment fish, sushi became to be closely related to rice in Japan.

Then, it developed into current sushi which combine fish and rice.

- SUSHI Nutrition- Low in Fat
Sushi is low in fat and is a very nutritious food. A typical setting of 7 to 9 pieces contains about 300-450 calories. The fish in sushi provides protein and can be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Vegetables are a great source of vitamines. Seaweed is rich in iodine. And rice provides complex carbohydrates.

- SUSHI Vocabulary

  • Arigato - Thank you.
  • Chakin-zushi - Vinegared rice wrapped in a thin egg crepe.
  • Chirashi(-zushi) - Assorted raw fish and vegetables over rice.
  • Domo (DOH moh) - Thank you.
  • Edomae-zushi - Same as nigiri-zushi.
  • Gari - Vinegared ginger.
  • Gyoku (means jewel) - Tamago.
  • Hashi - Chopsticks.
  • Inari-zushi - Vinegared rice and vegetables wrapped in a bag of fried tofu.
  • Itamae-san - The Sushi Chef.
  • Kanpai - The Japanese equivalent of "cheers," used when drinking
  • Konbanwa - Good evening.
  • Murasaki (means purple) - Soy sauce.
  • Namida (means tears) - Wasabi.
  • Neta - Sushi topping.
  • Nigiri(-zushi) - Pieces of raw fish over vinegared rice balls.
  • Nori - The sea vegetable used with rolled sushi.
  • Oaiso - The check.
  • Okanjo - The check.
  • Oshibori - Rolled up hot towel served to sushi bar customers.
  • Oshinko- Japanese pickles.
  • Oshi-zushi - Osaka-style sushi: squares of pressed rice topped with vinegared/cooked fish.
  • Oyasumi nasai - Good night.
  • Sabinuki - No wasabi.
  • Sashimi - Raw fish served chilled, sliced, and arranged without rice.
  • Shamoji - Sushi rice paddle.
  • Shari - Vinegared rice ball.
  • Shoyu - Soy sauce.
  • Sumimasen - Excuse me.
  • Tataki - Pounded, almost raw fish.
  • Tekka-don - Pieces of raw tuna over rice.
  • Uchiwa - Fan, used for fanning sushi rice.
  • Wasabi - Japanese horseradish.

- How to eat SUSHI

Learn simple steps for eating sushi the right way.

Here's How:

  1. Clean your hands by using an oshibori (towel).
  2. Put soy sauce for dipping in the small dish.
  3. Mix a bit of wasabi (Japanese horse radish) with the soy sauce if you want. Since wasabi is already placed in each sushi piece, you don't need to do this.
  4. When you eat nigiri-zushi (hand-pressed sushi), pick up one sushi piece between your thumb and middle finger, putting the index finger on top.
    Dip the end of the neta (ingredients/fish slices side) into the soy sauce.(not the rice part)
  5. Bring the sushi to your mouth and bite in half.
  6. Before your next bite, again dip the neta side in the soy sauce.
  7. When you eat maki-zushi(rolled sushi), place the whole piece in your mouth if you can. Maki-zushi falls apart easily when you bite.

Tips:

  1. Don't put too much soy sauce in the small dish. It's better to add as you need it.
  2. Don't dip a whole sushi piece into the soy sauce. The rice part tends to fall apart.
  3. Try to eat pieces of pickled ginger between different kinds of sushi. It helps to clean your mouth and enhance the flavors.
     

FINALLY, ONE LAST STEP, GO ENJOY SOME SUSHI !
 

 
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