Everything you didn't know about sushi
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Everything you didn't know about sushi

When one thinks of Japanese cuisine, first thing that comes to mind is sushi, undoubtedly

Everything you didn't know about sushi

No matter if you love traditional American sushi rolls, or more authentic sashimi and nigiri, eating sushi is always a flavourful and delightful experience. But if you haven’t had much sushi in your life, you may be confused about what you’re supposed to do while eating sushi and be nervous, and not sure how to eat it properly.

Let's know the history about sushi

When you think of Japanese food, first thing that flashes your mind is undoubtedly sushi. Sushi is a combination of cooked vinegared rice (known as sushi-meshi) and other ingredients (neta), which could include seafood, vegetables, egg or fruit, or a combination of them.

The beginnings of sushi

Sushi has been around for a surprisingly long period of time, although not in its present form. The history of sushi is an interesting tale of the evolution of a simple dish. What was to become sushi was first  mentioned in China in the second century A.D. Originally, sushi arose out of a way of preserving food. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to ferment, which allowed an individual to keep the fish edible for some time. The rice was thrown away and the fish was eaten when needed  or wanted.

The method spread throughout China and by the seventh century, had made its way to Japan, where seafood has historically been a staple. The Japanese, however, took the concept further and began to eat the rice with the fish. Originally, the dish was prepared in much the same manner. In the early 17th century, however, Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (now Tokyo) starting seasoning the rice with rice wine vinegar while making his ‘sushi’ for sale. This allowed the dish to be eaten immediately, instead of waiting the months it might normally take to prepare the ‘sushi’.

The evolution of sushi

In the early 19th century, a man by the name of Hanaya Yohei conceived a major change in the production and presentation of his sushi. No longer wrapping the fish in rice, he placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice. Today, we call this style ‘nigiri sushi’ (finger sushi) or ‘edomae sushi’ (from Edo, the name of Tokyo at the time) and is now the common way of eating Japanese sushi. At that time, sushi was served from sushi stalls on the street and was meant to be a snack or quick bite to eat on the go. Served from his stall, this was not only the first of the real ‘fast food’ sushi, but quickly became widely popular. From his home in Edo, this style of serving sushi rapidly spread throughout Japan, aided by the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, as many people lost their homes and businesses and moved from Tokyo.

After World War II, the sushi stalls were shut down and moved indoors, to more sanitary conditions. More formal seating was later provided (the first iterations were merely an indoor version of the  sushi stalls) and sushi changed from ‘fast food’ to a true dining experience. Sushi spread around the globe, and with the advent of the promotion of seafood, this unusual style of serving fish was quickly adopted by western cultures, always eager for something new, especially something that had grown as sophisticated and unique as sushi.

Modern sushi

Sushi, the artful dining experience once uniquely Japanese, has now evolved to another level beyond the traditional Japanese methods. Western influences have given rise to new styles of sushi, such as California rolls and the many elaborate ‘fusion’ creations at upscale sushi restaurants. The history of sushi is a long one, at least 1,800 years in fact, but the current iteration is popular around the world, and rightly so. It is not often that something so singly cultural can not only take the world by storm, but also influence the direction of  food in other cultures. Demand for sushi is only increasing and seems to be continuing to evolve. Traditional sushi restaurants sit alongside ‘fusion’ restaurants and both are popular for their own reasons. The history of sushi is still far from over.

Here are different types of sushi:

  • Nigiri: Rice balls with a topping, such as tuna, shrimp, eel, even fried egg.
  • Gunkan: Small cups of sushi rice and dried seaweed, filled with seafood, which may include sea urchin and fish eggs.
  • Norimaki: Sushi rice and fillings rolled in dried seaweed (nori) sheets. Fillings can include seafood, egg, vegetables etc. This is the most common type of sushi.
  • Temaki: Hand-rolled cones of nori, filled with sushi rice, seafood and other fillings.
  • Oshizushi: Pressed sushi.Inari – Sushi rice filled into deep fried tofu bags.
  • Chirashi: Seafood, mushrooms and veggies are spread over sushi rice.

If you have tried sushi, let us know your experience in the comment  section below!!