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In Japanese Cuisine , is a Food made of Vinegared Rice , usually combined with other ingredients (uncooked and in some cases cooked) such as fish. Sushi as an English word has come to refer to a complete dish with rice and toppings; this is the sense used in this article. The original term ''sushi'' (''-zushi'' in some compounds such as ''makizushi''), written in Kanji , means snack and refers to the rice, but not fish or other toppings.1 Outside of Japan, sushi is sometimes misunderstood to mean the raw Fish by itself, or even any fresh raw-seafood dishes. In Japan, however, sliced raw fish alone is called '' Sashimi '' and is distinct from sushi. There are various types of sushi: sushi served rolled inside ''). HISTORY See Also: History of sushi The basic idea behind the preparation of sushi is the preservation and fermentation of fish with salt and rice, a process that has been traced back to Southeast Asia where fish and rice fermentation dishes still exist today. The science behind the fermentation of fish in rice is that the vinegar produced from the fermenting rice breaks the fish down into Amino Acid s. This results into one of the five basic tastes, called '' Umami '' in Japanese.Kouji ITOU, Shinsuke KOBAYASHI, Tooru OOIZUMI, Yoshiaki AKAHANE (2006) "Changes of proximate composition and extractive components in narezushi, a fermented mackerel product, during processing" , ''Fisheries Science'', 72 (6), 1269–1276. The oldest form of sushi in Japan, ''Narezushi'' still very closely resembles this process. In Japan, Narezushi evolved into Oshizushi and ultimately Edomae nigirizushi, which is what the world today knows as "sushi". Modern Japanese sushi has little resemblance to the traditional Lacto-fermented rice dish. Originally, when the Fermented Fish was taken out of the rice, only the fish was consumed and the fermented rice was discarded. The strong-tasting and -smelling ''funazushi'', a kind of ''narezushi'' made near Lake Biwa in Japan, resembles the traditional fermented dish. Beginning during the Muromachi Period (1336–1573) in Japan, Rice Vinegar was added to the mixture for better taste. The vinegar accentuated the rice's sourness, and was known to increase its life span, allowing the Fermentation Process to be shortened and eventually abandoned. In the following centuries, sushi in Osaka evolved into ''oshi-zushi'', the seafood and the rice were pressed into wooden moulds, by the mid 18th century, this form of sushi had reached Edo (contemporary Tokyo ). Today's dish, internationally known as "sushi," was invented by Hanaya Yohei (華屋与兵衛; 1799–1858) at the end of Edo Period . The sushi invented by Hanaya was an early form of fast food that was not fermented, (therefore prepared quickly) and could be eaten with one's hands roadside or in a theatre. Originally, this sushi was known as ''Edomae zushi'', because it used freshly-caught fish in the ''Edo-mae'' (Edo Bay). Though the fish used in modern sushi no longer usually come from Edo bay, it is still formally known as ''Edomae nigirizushi''. TYPES OF SUSHI The common ingredient across all the different Kinds Of Sushi is '' Sushi Rice '' (known as ''shari'' in Japanese). The variety in sushi arises from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these ingredients are put together. The same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, creating a very different final result.2 Nigiri-zushi
''Maki-zushi'' (roll)
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Oshizushi
Chirashi
A Korean variation, found in Japanese Korean sushi restaurants, is ''hwe dup bap''. It is similar in concept with Bibimbap . Like chirashi, it is served in a bowl of rice topped with raw fish, but also includes raw salad vegetables such as lettuce and avocado, and a spicy chili paste on the side. Review of ''A-Won'' restaurant with photos of hwe dup bap Narezushi (old style fermented sushi)
INGREDIENTS All sushi has a base of specially prepared rice, and complemented with other ingredients. Sushi rice Sushi is made with white, short-grained, Japanese Rice mixed with a dressing made of Rice Vinegar , Sugar , Salt , Kombu , and occasionally '' Sake ''. It is usually cooled to room temperature before being used for a filling in a ''sushi''. In some Fusion Cuisine restaurants, short grain Brown Rice and Wild Rice are also used. Sushi rice (sushi-meshi) is prepared with short-grain Japanese rice, which has a consistency that differs from long-grain strains such as India . The essential quality is its stickiness. Rice that is too sticky has a mushy texture; if not sticky enough, it feels dry. Freshly harvested rice (shinmai) typically has too much water, and requires extra time to drain the rice cooker after washing. There are regional variations in sushi rice and, of course, individual chefs have their individual methods. Most of the variations are in the rice vinegar dressing: "the Tokyo version of the dressing commonly uses more salt; in Osaka, the dressing has more sugar". Sushi rice generally must be used shortly after it is made. The Wiki Cookbook has a simple . Nori The seaweed wrappers used in ''maki'' and ''temaki'' are called Nori . Nori is an Algae , traditionally cultivated into the harbors of Japan. Originally, Algae was scraped from dock pilings, rolled out into sheets, and dried in the sun, in a process similar to making paper. Nori is toasted before being used in food. Today, the commercial product is farmed, produced, toasted, packaged, and sold in standard-size sheets in about 18 cm by 21 cm (7 in by 8 in). Higher quality Nori is thick, smooth, shiny, black, and has no holes. Nori by itself is an edible snack and is available flavored with Teriyaki sauce. The flavored variety, however, tends to be of lesser quality and is not suitable for sushi. Omelette When making ''fukusazushi'', a paper-thin Omelet may replace a sheet of Nori as the wrapping. The Omelet is traditionally made on a rectangular omelet pan ( Makiyakinabe ), and used to form the pouch for the rice and fillings. Toppings and fillings See Also: List of sushi and sashimi ingredients and styles
:For culinary, sanitary, and aesthetic reasons, fish eaten raw must be fresher and of higher quality than fish which is cooked. :Professional sushi chefs are trained to recognize good fish. Important attributes include smells, color, and being free of obvious parasites that normal commercial inspection do not detect (many go undetected). :Only ocean fish are used raw in sushi; freshwater fish are more likely to harbor parasites that are harmful to humans if uncooked. :Commonly-used fish are Tuna (akami, chutoro, shiro-maguro, toro), Japanese Amberjack , also known as yellowtail (hamachi), Snapper (kurodai), Conger (hamo), Mackerel (saba), Salmon (sake), and Eel (anago and Unagi ). The most valued sushi ingredient is ''toro'', the fatty cut of tuna. This comes in a variety of ōtoro (often from the bluefin species of tuna) and Chutoro , meaning middle toro, implying that it is halfway into the fattiness between toro and regular red tuna (akami). Aburi
:Other seafoods such as Squid (ika), Octopus (tako), Shrimp (ebi and amaebi), Clam (mirugai, aoyagi and akagi), fish Roe (ikura, masago, kazunoko and tobiko), Sea Urchin (uni), Crab (kani), and various kinds of shellfish (abalone, prawn, scallop, ''uni'' sea urchin) are the most popular seafoods in sushi. Oyster s, however, are not typically put in sushi because the taste is not thought to go well with the rice. However, some sushi restaurants in New Orleans are known to have Fried Oyster Rolls and Crawfish rolls.
:Pickled Daikon radish (takuan) in shinko maki, pickled vegetables ( Tsukemono ), fermented soybeans ( Nattō ) in nattō maki, Avocado in California Roll s, Cucumber in Kappa maki, Asparagus , Yam , Tofu , pickled Ume ( Umeboshi ), Gourd (kampyō), Burdock (gobo), and sweet corn may be mixed with mayonnaise.
: Beef , Ham , Spam , Sausage , and Horse Meat are often lightly cooked. :Note: It is a common misconception that in Hawaii , fried Spam is a popular local variation for sushi. In reality, Spam Musubi differs from sushi in that its rice lacks the vinegar required to classify it. Spam musubi is correctly classified as Onigiri .
:Eggs (in the form of slightly sweet, layered Omelet called tamagoyaki), and raw quail eggs ride as a gunkan-maki topping. Condiments
:The common name for Soy Sauce . In sushi restaurants, it may also be referred to as ''murasaki'' (lit. "purple").
:A piquant paste made from the grated root of the wasabi plant. Real wasabi (''hon-wasabi'') is ''Wasabi japonica''. Hon-wasabi has Anti-microbial properties and may reduce the risk of food poisoning. :An imitation wasabi (''seiyo-wasabi''), made from Horseradish , mustard powder and dyed green are common. It is found at lower-end kaiten zushi restaurants, in Bento Box sushi and at most restaurants outside of Japan. If it is manufactured in Japan, it may be labelled "Japanese Horseradish".4 :In sushi restaurants, wasabi may be referred to as ''namida'' ("tears").
:Sweet, pickled Ginger . Eaten to both cleanse the palate as well as to aid in the digestive process.
:In Japan, green tea (''ocha'') is invariably served together with sushi. Better sushi restaurants often use a distinctive premium tea known as '' Mecha ''. In sushi vocabulary, green tea is known as ''agari''. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION The main ingredients of sushi, raw fish and rice are naturally low in fat (with the exception of some rolls and western style rolls), high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.5 Specifically:
On the other hand, some fish such as tuna can carry high levels of Mercury and can be hazardous when consumed in large quantities. PRESENTATION , Japan .]] In Japan , and increasingly abroad, Conveyor Belt Sushi /sushi train (kaiten zushi) restaurants are a popular, cost effective way of eating sushi. At these restaurants, the sushi is served on color-coded plates, with each color denoting the cost of the sushi serving. The plates are placed on a conveyor belt or boats floating in a moat. As the belt or boat passes, the customers choose their desired plates. After finishing, the bill is tallied by counting how many plates of each color have been taken. Some kaiten sushi restaurants in Japan operate on a fixed price system, with each plate, consisting usually of two pieces of sushi, generally costing ¥100. More traditionally, sushi is served on minimalist Japanese-style, geometric, wood or lacquer plates which are mono- or duo-tone in color, in keeping with the aesthetic qualities of this cuisine. Many small sushi restaurants actually use no plates — the sushi is eaten directly off of the wooden counter, usually with one's hands. Modern fusion presentation, particularly in the United States, has given sushi a European sensibility, taking Japanese Minimalism and garnishing it with Western gestures such as the colorful arrangement of edible ingredients, the use of differently flavored sauces, and the mixing of foreign flavors, highly suggestive of French Cuisine , deviating somewhat from the more traditional, austere style of Japanese sushi. ETIQUETTE Sushi can be eaten either by hands or by is not considered a natural pairing of sushi, since the flavor is too similar to rice to enrich the meal. Many sushi restaurants offer fixed-price sets, selected by the chef from the catch of the day. These are often graded as ''shō-chiku-bai'' (松竹梅), shō/''matsu'' (松, pine), chiku/''take'' (竹, bamboo) and bai/''ume'' (梅, Ume ), with ''matsu'' the most expensive and '' ume'' the cheapest. The house soy sauce is often diluted with dashi, a broth made from fish flakes and kelp. In ) might be called ''garēji'' (garage), because the Japanese word ''shako'' can also refer to a vehicle Depot . These terms would not be used, or even understood, in other contexts, but regular patrons may pick up and use this specialized terminology themselves while dining in the restaurant. UTENSILS FOR PREPARING SUSHI ]]
Also see the comprehensive List Of Japanese Cooking Utensils . GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS # January 1992. A 325 kg (715 lb) Bluefin Tuna sold for $83,500 (almost $257 / kg or $117 / lb) in Tokyo, Japan. The tuna was reduced to 2,400 servings of sushi for wealthy diners at $75 per serving. The estimated takings from this one fish were approximately $180,000. At the time, the fish held the record for Most Expensive Fish. # October 12, 1997: The longest sushi roll. Six hundred members of the Nikopaka Festa Committee made a Kappamaki (cucumber roll) that was 1 km (3,281 ft.) long at Yoshii, Japan. GALLERY |
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