I·ATE Food Term of the Week: Sushi

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Every year on the 18 of June we celebrate the International Sushi Day. Its purpose is to honour this delicious food, but also raise awareness about many fictional stories surrounding it.

What sushi is, exactly?

The traditional form of the dish that we know and cherish nowadays was created somewhere between 1600 and 1800 AD in Japan, consisting of raw or cooked fish and vegetables wrapped in rice mixed with vinegar. Pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce were often served on the side. It had its regional variations, but the main idea stayed the same until the present date.  

When talking about sushi, here come the main kinds one can taste:

  • Nigiri – a ball of vinegared rice moulded by hand and topped with a slice of raw fish. Two pieces are usually served and can be eaten with hands.
  • Sashimi – thin slices of raw fish, without rice. Most popular sashimi are yellowfin tuna and salmon.
  • Maki – rice filled with raw or cooked fish, vegetables and wrapped in seaweed. Most of people imagine maki when thinking about sushi
  • Uramaki – similar to maki, but the seaweed wraps around the filling and is then rounded by rice on the outside.
  • Temaki – a cone-shaped roll, a sushi version of an ice-cream cone.

Try at home maki recipe

Preparing sushi at home might seem like a daunting task that we would rather leave to professional cooks, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Especially if you involve your siblings/roommates/loved ones, then this can become a fun and delicious way of spending some time together.

The basic staples you will need for any type of sushi are the following:

  • Bamboo sushi mat
  • Plastic wrap
  • Sushi rice
  • Nori seaweed sheets
  • Soy sauce
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Wasabi and pickled ginger (up to you).

Fillings can be chosen completely based on your preferences, but here are some that we would definitely recommend:

  • Cucumber
  • Avocado
  • Carrots
  • Surimi
  • Smoked salmon
  • Raw sashimi grade tuna.

 

Preparation guide

Sushi Step by Step Preparation
Step-by-step explanation below.
  1. Cook the sushi rice.
  2. Season the rice with rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Remove from heat.
  3. Fluff the rice into a bowl and set aside.
  4. While the rice is cooked and cooled, slice the veggies into sticks and set aside.
  5. Wrap the bamboo mat in a plastic wrap and lay a sheet of nori on top.
  6. Spread a thin layer of rice on the nori sheet.
  7. Place your filling in the centre, on top of the rice.
  8. Roll – squeeze – repeat.
  9. Slice the finished roll into bite-sized discs and arrange them on a plate.
  10. どうぞお召し上がりください!

Happy (belated) International Sushi Day! If you haven’t yet, make sure to go and celebrate (= eat an awful lot of sushi).

 

Sources

All Recipes. 2020. What Are the Different Types of Sushi?. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/different-types-sushi-video/. [Accessed 16 June 2020].

Days of the Year. 2020. International Sushi Day. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/sushi-day/. [Accessed 16 June 2020].

Delishably. 2020. The Different Kinds of Sushi: Types, Names, and Photos. [ONLINE] Available at: https://delishably.com/meat-dishes/The-Different-Kinds-of-Sushi/. [Accessed 17 June 2020].

Peas and Crayons. 2020. HOMEMADE SUSHI: TIPS, TRICKS, AND TOPPINGS!. [ONLINE] Available at: https://peasandcrayons.com/2012/10/homemade-sushi-tips-tricks-and-toppings.html#wprm-recipe-container-17432. [Accessed 17 June 2020].

Tablespoon. 2017. Know Your Sushi: Types & Terms You Need to Know Before Ordering. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.tablespoon.com/posts/know-your-sushi-types-and-terms-before-ordering. [Accessed 16 June 2020].


Written by Lara Karlović, a digital marketing enthusiast with experience in social media management, SEO content writing and optimization and content marketing.