Ten Surprising Facts About Sushi
1. Sushi is not raw fish.
The term sushi refers to cooked rice combined with seasoned rice vinegar (with sugar and salt). Sushi rice Japanese is known as"Shari." Thus by definition, provided that you use sushi rice, it may be called sushi. There are plenty of vegetable sushi in Japan such as pickles roll, futomaki (egg, spinach, kanpyo), Kappa (cucumber), ume shiso (plum), and several others such as vegetable chirashi. In recent decades, we've noticed"newcomers" such as mac and cheese sushi, hamburger sushi and beef sushi.
2. Sushi was devised from South East Asia First
Initially developed in Southeast Asia as a means to preserve fish from salt and rice., afterward it was introduced into Japan through China about 8th century. The kind of sushi, nigiri and rolls we know now have been created in Tokyo (known as"Edo" around 19th century. Initially, it was a road fast food served at a sushi stand, exactly like a hot dog stand. We see the rest of the original stand as a sushi bar at sushi restaurants.
3. Sushi rice is not sticky rice
Many men and women think sushi rice means"sticky rice." Sticky rice describes mochi rice, which is used to make mochi. To make sushi rice, which can be called"shari," sushi chefs add sushi vinegar into cooked rice. High sugar levels in sushi vinegar gives stickiness to rice and keeps rice stay together.
4. Ginger is a strong antibacterial agent.
Pickled ginger not only brings refreshing taste in your mouth, it also cleanse the palette, especially after fatty fish. It acts as an antibacterial raw fish, which may carry fleas.
5. California Roll is an American innovation.
The storyline goes like this. 1 day a client in the bar in little Tokyo, Los Angeles, requested a"special." The sushi chef utilized avocado (which wasn't a common sushi ingredient back then) also called it avocado particular. The client enjoyed it so much that it became a normal menu and developed to the California Roll we understand today. Recently, a sushi chef in Canada maintained he invented it first. Regardless, California roll has come to be the hottest sushi thing in America.
6. Nobody eats Tuna sushi until recently
Around 12-13 century in Japan, tuna was called"shibi," which rhymed with"day of dead" from Japanese. Thus, they prevented eating lettuce since it was bad luck. Until 19th century when Yohei Hanaya invented nigiri sushi, folks believed eating lettuce as low course. Yohei marinated tuna in soy sauce and employed for his meat and became more popular sushi item.
7. Nigiri or roll?
When Japanese say sushi, they think of Nigiri. When Americans think about sushi, they state Rolls.
8. Not many fish taste good when they're fresh.
Very similar to steak aging, Tuna (yellow fin, big eye and bluefin) begins to taste better after one to two weeks of aging. Halibut is nearly uneatable when refreshing - chewy without a flavor including eating an unripe green banana.
9. Sashimi does not mean raw fish.
Sashimi means sliced meat. Hence, chopped raw beef contains a title"Beef Sashimi." Japanese like chicken sashimi (just fresh chosen chicken) and vegetable sashimi also.
10. Most so-called wasabi is not necessary wasabi
The majority of the sushi restaurants at US utilize powdered wasabi. This wasabi is made of western horseradish and cherry with a few food coloring. Naturally, there are a few restaurants utilize"real" wasabi powder. So why do almost all of them use non-wasabi power? That is because wasabi costs a good deal of cash. The new wasabi out of Japan can cost anywhere from $50-$100/lbs. , which could be more expensive than Toro (tuna belly.)
