Japanese Food Guide—Sushi, Nigiri, Sashimi, Maki

Japanese cuisine is one of the most loved cuisines around the globe and includes multiple regional and traditional food items. It mostly consists of a combination of fish, rice, and vegetables. Japanese food has evolved over time and adopted modern food traditions but has stayed close to the authentic Japanese taste.

A Brief Introduction

Japanese cuisine is mostly a combination of staple food along with one main dish and side dishes. It often includes clear soups or pickles. There are certain practices that Japanese dislike and tend to avoid:

• Multiple dishes served on the same plate/dish – the Japanese do not like the concept of multiple types of dishes in the same serving plate.
• Mixing of the main dish with rice – they prefer to have both, separately.
• Excessive use of oil – the Japanese use a minimal amount of oil in the preparation of their foods.

The most popular item, however, remains to be sushi. This delicacy has gained worldwide recognition over the years and is liked by people belonging to other ethnicities as well. If you are thinking of trying sushi, you first need to enlighten yourself with its various types and understand how each variation is different from the other. Sushi, sashimi, Maki, and Nigiri are often considered to be synonymous with each other while in reality, they are all different.

Sushi bars are a common concept in Japan and the dish is enjoyed by people of all ages. Traditional Japanese food is seasoned with various sauces, salt, and even sugar. Japanese consume rice as an everyday food item. According to a survey, as much as 70% of people in Japan eat rice at least once on a regular basis. The rice used in Japanese food is usually the small-grained and sticky type. Sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar to give it the required taste.

Common Myths about Sushi and the Truth behind them

Being a popular Japanese dish that is loved by people around the globe, a number of myths have also been associated with sushi. A few common myths related to sushi are:

Myth 1: Sushi means raw fish; while in reality, it means the process of preparing vinegary rice.

Myth 2: Sushi is an expensive food; it’s not that expensive and now you can easily find sushi food delivery services at affordable rates.

Myth 3: Japanese eat sushi every day; they don’t. Japanese are interested in a well-balanced diet.

Myth 4: Sushi is supposed to be eaten with Soy Sauce; sushi rice is already flavored and doesn’t require further sauces.

Myth 5: Ginger for garnishing; ginger served with sushi is for palate cleaning and not a part of the dish itself.

Sushi

Sushi originated from Tokyo and the credit goes to Hanaya Yohei. It was called Edomae Zushi as the fish that was used came from the Edomae (Tokyo Bay). Japanese eat sushi on festive events that they want to celebrate. Previously sushi was referred to as pickled fish seasoned with vinegar. Sushi consumed in the modern age contains rice prepared in vinegar.

Sushi is by far the most popular Japanese dish famous around the globe. It is prepared with small-grained rice that is flavored with vinegar and served with fish and other seafood items. Some of the popular sushi dishes include Chirashizushi, Oshizushi, Nigirizushi, Gunkanmaki, and Narezushi.

In Japan, it takes 2-4 hours for a person to understand the sushi-making process. A person has to go through prolonged, stressful training to master the art of making sushi, as the selection and cutting of fish have to be precise. In many other parts of the world as well where sushi is liked, expert chefs who know the ins and outs of sushi making are hired for preparing sushi like the natives.

Maki

Maki is also known as “Makizushi” or “Californian Roll”. Maki is often considered a roll of seaweed with sushi rice, vegetables, and fish. Maki is the customary sushi and can have variations to it. It can be served both raw as well as cooked. The rolled sushi can be served in 7-9 pieces. The difference lies in the position of rice and how the sushi is rolled. If the rice is served on the outside then it is called uramaki while if a cone of nori is holding everything inside of it is called temaki. Makisu (a bamboo mat) is used while preparing Maki. Moreover, another variant is Hosomaki, which includes only one ingredient apart from rice. Futomaki and Hosomaki are the most popular Maki dishes.

Nigiri

In Japanese, Nigiri means two fingers, referring to the quantity of served rice. Nigiri differs from traditional sushi in multiple ways; it is served as thin slices of raw or cooked fish topped with vinegary rice. Mostly, there is also a small chunk of wasabi served along with rice and fish. Alternatively, toasted seaweed or nori is also served. The rice served in Nigiri is overpressed, the meat is mostly raw but Nigiri can also be served with cooked meat. Nigiri can be considered a type of sushi, unlike Sashimi which is not sushi. Nigiri is also accompanied by wasabi and pickled garlic.

Moreover, Nigiri is often made with fish but it can also be served with squids, shrimps, etc. Nigiri can be eaten with hands or chopsticks, depending on personal choice. It is sometimes garnished with additional sauces but mostly it is served as it is.

Sashimi

Sashimi is often found on the menu card in the sushi section, but as mentioned, in reality, it is not sushi. Sashimi is a specially cut raw fish served with rice and other ingredients. Sashimi appears to be simple but its making is quite complex, as you have to carefully select the right kind of fish.

Sashimi is traditionally served with Japanese radish, soy sauce, and wasabi. The reason sashimi isn’t considered sushi is that sushi is always served with rice, while Sashimi is served without rice.

We hope this article increased your knowledge about sushi and its variations and sparked an interest in you to try these amazing Japanese food items that you may later become a fan of!