This article is about Japanese cuisine. For the ancient Chinese poet, see Su Shi. Sushi is traditionally made with medium-grain white rice, though nigiri vs sashimi can be prepared with brown rice or short-grain rice.
Sushi is sometimes confused with sashimi, a related dish in Japanese cuisine that consists of thinly sliced raw fish or occasionally meat. Japanese practice of applying rice on raw fish. The fish was fermented with rice vinegar, salt, and rice, after which the rice was discarded. In addition to increasing the sourness of the rice, the vinegar significantly increased the dish’s longevity, causing the fermentation process to be shortened and eventually abandoned. 1824 at his shop in Ryōgoku. The earliest written mention of sushi in English described in the Oxford English Dictionary is in an 1893 book, A Japanese Interior, where it mentions sushi as “a roll of cold rice with fish, sea-weed, or some other flavoring”. The common ingredient in all types of sushi is vinegared sushi rice.
Fillings, toppings, condiments, and preparation vary widely. Due to rendaku consonant mutation, sushi is pronounced with zu instead of su when a prefix is attached, as in nigirizushi. It is commonly eaten because it is filling, fast and easy to make. It is eaten annually on Hinamatsuri in March and Kodomonohi in May. Tales tell that inarizushi is named after the Shinto god Inari. Foxes, messengers of Inari, are believed to have a fondness for fried tofu, and an Inari-zushi roll has pointed corners that resemble fox ears.
It should not be confused with inari maki, which is a roll filled with flavored fried tofu. Cone sushi is a variant of inarizushi originating in Hawaii that may include green beans, carrots, or gobo along with rice, wrapped in a triangular abura-age piece. Makizushi is usually cut into six or eight pieces, which constitutes a single roll order. Below are some common types of makizushi, but many other kinds exist. They are often made with two, three, or more fillings that are chosen for their complementary tastes and colors.
Short-grain white rice is usually used, although short-grain brown rice, like olive oil on nori, is now becoming more widespread among the health-conscious. Rarely, sweet rice is mixed in makizushi rice. Nowadays, the rice in makizushi can be many kinds of black rice, boiled rice and cereals. By 2000 the custom had spread to all of Japan. Ehōmaki is roll composed of seven ingredients considered to be lucky. A typical hosomaki has a diameter of about 2. It is named after the Japanese legendary water imp, fond of cucumbers, called the kappa.
Traditionally, kappamaki is consumed to clear the palate between eating raw fish and other kinds of food, so that the flavors of the fish are distinct from the tastes of other foods. Fatty tuna is often used in this style. As days pass, water seeps out and is removed. After six months, this sushi can be eaten, remaining edible for another six months or more. Not to be confused with Onigiri. Kansai region, a favorite and specialty of Osaka.
A block-shaped piece is formed using a wooden mold, called an oshibako. The chef lines the bottom of the oshibako with the toppings, covers them with sushi rice, and then presses the lid of the mold down to create a compact, rectilinear block. In oshizushi, all the ingredients are either cooked or cured and raw fish is never used. A Norwegian businessman introduced the use of salmon as a sushi ingredient to Japan in the 1980s.
The increasing popularity of sushi around the world has resulted in variations typically found in the Western world, but rarely in Japan. A notable exception to this is the use of salmon. California roll, as a method originally meant to hide the nori. Uramaki differs from other makimono because the rice is on the outside and the nori inside. Japan, the outer layer of rice can be quite difficult to handle with fingers.
In Brazil, uramaki and other sushi pieces include cream-cheese in their recipe. Futomaki is a more popular variation of sushi within the United States, and comes in variations that take their names from their places of origin. Per Food and Drug Administration regulations, raw fish served in the United States must be frozen prior to serving in order to kill parasites. California roll with smoked salmon on the inside, or layered on the outside.