You’ve probably heard of sushi, the enterprising food with certain misconceptions to it, for instance, most people think that sushi is purely raw fish, but that’s not true. Sushi Food, however, is sweet sticky rice made with sweet vinegar and rice combination, it is usually lined with seaweed or kelp, called nori and then, the ingredients are placed in the center. At the same time, the rice and seaweed are wrapped around the ingredients into a cylindrical roll. Once the sushi is cut, it can be cut into familiar circles served in restaurants and stores in America. However, if you probably haven’t heard of this food, here’s an article that analyzes all you need to know about sushi Food, enjoy it!
History of Sushi
It should interest you to know that today’s sushi was originally a type of fast food, it was more like the 19th-century equivalent of the popular McDonald’s drive-through. In ancient times, raw fish was prepared for nobility mostly during celebrations and festivals. To preserve this fish, it was fermented with rice and after the fermentation process, the rice was discarded and only the fish was eaten. This traditional version of sushi can still be found and is still eaten in Shiga Prefecture and is called Funazushi.
In the 15th century, people started to eat the rice used in the fermentation of the fish before it would turn into a puree. Two centuries later, the biggest shift in history happened when rice was replaced with vinegar as a fermentation agent. With this method, it was unnecessary to wait for months for the process to end and the fish could be consumed sooner. Vinegar has some special advantages as well, it enhances flavor aside from speeding up the fermentation process coupled with its ability to aid digestion.
The second big shift in sushi history happened during the Edo period. At the time, sushi was still expensive and mostly made for special occasions, until an employee in a famous sushi shop in Edo (now Tokyo) decided to make cheap, delicious, and quickly prepared sushi for everyone. During the Edo period, street foods known as Yatai were the number one choice when it came to grabbing a quick lunch on the go. Sushi was sold there and obtained the nickname of “quick sushi” because of how fast they were made. At that time, sushi pieces were considerably bigger: almost three times the size of modern-day sushi. However, things changed after world war 2, when Japan suffered from a shortage of food. A union of sushi chefs decided to create a service that would allow people to supply their rice and pay a small fee for a chef to make a set of 10 sushi which was not as much as pre-war sushi. This became the standard size for modern sushi. Because of the scarcity of ingredients during the post-war years, sushi using vegetables such as cucumbers was invented.
Finally, in 1950, the first conveyor belt sushi restaurant opened in Osaka, the birth of these restaurants made the availability of sushi more accessible. Sushi can be called a symbol of Japan and it is one of the most popular Japanese dishes around the world.
What makes up Sushi Food
For starters, sushi consists of vinegared rice combined with different toppings usually seafood, and comes in different forms such as Nigirizushi, Makizushi, Gunkanzushi, Oshizushi, Temakizushi, Chirashizushi, and Inarizushi which are translated as; the most common type of sushi, sushi wrapped in seaweeds, sushi shaped like a battleship of “Gunkan” in Japanese, Pressed sushi, sushi wrapped with seaweed in a cone shape, a bowl of sushi rice with various toppings and sushi rice wrapped in deep-fried tofu respectively.
Where can you enjoy Sushi Food?
This delicacy can be enjoyed at a wide range of establishments from high-end restaurants where one sushi can cost more than 1000 yen a piece (you’re probably converting that to your local currency, good!) To cheap on-the-go kaitenzushi restaurants that serve sushi for 50 yen a piece on a conveyor belt.
How to eat sushi Food
A piece of sushi consists of vinegared rice called Shari and a topping called Neta. Some popular netas include tuna, salmon, shrimp, eel, scallops, sea urchins, and many more. When you are facing a spread of sushi with features of many different netas, there is no specific order in which you ought to eat the different sushi pieces. However, some people recommend starting with a lighter neta, for example, seabream, and making your way to the stronger ones like anago which is already coated in a thick sauce, and ending the meal with a lightened sweetened egg.
How to make simple sushi at home
Before we delve into making this wonderful dish, let’s look at the ingredients, toppings, and staples required.
Homemade sushi ingredients include:
- Sushi rice
- A bamboo mat
- Plastic wrap
- Nori (seaweed sheets)
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds or Chia seeds
- Chili sauce
- Vinegar
Some veggies for homemade sushi rolls;
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Jalapeno
- Green onion
- Carrots
- Bell pepper
- Red onions
Preparations
Step One: Boil 1 plus a half cup of rice with 2 cups of water in a medium-sized pot. Reduce heat once the water begins to boil and let the rice simmer for some minutes while stirring continuously. Note that cooking the rice is the only time-consuming procedure in making sushi, you can start preparing the fish, sauces, and veggies while the rice cooks.
Step Two; This is the part where the boiled rice is seasoned with 1/3 cup of seasoned rice vinegar and 1/2 cup of salt or sugar. Fluff the rice with a fork and taste then you can adjust the salt/sugar as you desire. Empty the rice into a bowl and cover it with a paper towel.
Step Three: While you let the rice cool, slice your preferred vegetables into matchsticks and set them aside.
Step Four: Remember the bamboo mat and plastic wrap? Well, this is where they are used, here the bamboo mat is wrapped in plastic wrap while a sheet of nori is laid.
Step Five: There are two methods for rolling and they include, the inside-out rolls with rice on the outside or rolls wrapped with nori which display the rice on the inside, and nori on the outside. In this article, we will go with the latter method with seaweeds on the outside, grab your spoon, and spread a thin layer of rice on the seaweed sheet.
Step Six: Place your desired toppings in the center, slightly close to one another, or pile them on top of each other.
Step Seven: This is where you bind and roll the ingredients into the center and gently squeeze so it sticks then, carefully unfold the bamboo mat. Repeat the process until you’ve succeeded in rolling the rice, vegetables, and seaweed into a spiral.
Step Eight: This is where you slice with a sharpened knife. Also, you can tightly wrap the roll in plastic wrap before finally adding your favorite toppings.
There are different kind of sauces to enjoy your sushi with which ranges from spicy mayo, eel sauce, and soy sauce to ponzu sauce.
Health benefits of Sushi
- It protects heart health
- It maintains hormonal balance
- Boosts body mechanism
- Has anticancer potentials
- Improves Circulation
Health risks of sushi
- Accumulation of calories
- Bacteria infection especially if the fish or veggies are not properly cleaned.
- Mercury toxicity
Frequently asked questions about Sushi
1. Which sushi dish was invented in America
Answer: The Californian roll or California Maki.
2. What country eats sushi dishes?
Answer: Most Asian countries eat sushi, USA does too.
3. Can Sushi be made without rice?
Answer; No, rice is an essential ingredient for making Sushi.
4. Is sushi dish considered a vegetarian diet?
Though sushi is associated with fish, it is also possible to find vegetarian choices at sushi restaurants.
5. Is eel a part of the sushi dish?
Unagi sushi is a kind of sushi that has eel as its major ingredient and is known for its bold, rich and naturally sweet flavor.
6. What are the Sushi stores around me(Nigeria)?
Sushi can be ordered from the online store also for people in Nigeria sushi can be gotten in these locations: Bonzai restaurants, Ocean basket Ikeja, Shiro restaurant and bar or Izanagi Victoria island and others
7. What are the types of Sushi
This includes – Rainbow roll, California roll, Spicy tuna roll, Spider roll, Shrimp tempura roll, King crab roll, Dragon roll, Boston roll, Alaska roll, Mako, Nigiri.
Conclusion
After digesting all you need to know about sushi, it is important to also point out that this Japanese delicacy is not popular in some parts of the world, Africa most inclusive. So it is advised to learn and prepare your sushi meal wherever you are after reading this article to indirectly create an awareness of this awesome food packed with so many health benefits due to the type of ingredients used in its preparations.
Sushi is a special meal that also tends to spoil if not preserved properly. Note that the best way to preserve sushi is to wrap it tightly in plastic foil and store it in a refrigerator, consistent warming or heating of any kind will alter its taste and nutrient. I’m sure you would love to enjoy a meal of sushi soon so, what are you waiting for to apply all you know about sushi food?