A Little Lesson In Sushi

I don't know when I started liking sushi, all I know is that I've loved it for as long as I can remember. When I became old enough to go out to restaurants with my friends, trips to sushi restaurants became quite confusing. What can be so confusing about this raw fish dish, other than the utensil used to eat it? The naming! When it comes to ordering sushi one must be very careful with the terminology they use.

When we hear the word sushi, I think it is pretty accurate to say the image of the sushi roll pops in our head. Well this is in fact a makimono. In the past I've heard that the sushi we eat in North America is not at all like the sushi that is eaten in Japan. One of the biggest differences lies in the makimono rolls found in North America. Take for instance the very popular California roll. This roll was created in North America to serve western tastes better. Now think about the Philadelphia roll, that consists of smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber. Although I am only speculating on this one, I don't think the japanese created this roll and decided to name it after an American city. One of my personal favourites is the Tex Mex roll, which consists of California rolls topped with tuna, avocado, tomato and spicy sauce, and surprise surprise it is also named after a North American city. Therefore, the makimono rolls we find and eat in North America, although extremely tasty, don't exactly mirror the makimono rolls we would be eating on a visit to Japan. But that's the beauty of makimono rolls in North America, you can be as creative as you want to be with them. Anyways, on with the lesson...

On the other end of the spectrum lies sashimi. Those who are new to eating sushi tend to avoid this type because it is simply raw fish slices. For more experienced sushi lovers this is a great way to enjoy the taste of the fish without it being masked by the flavours of everyday grocery items such as avocado and cucumber.

Although sashimi is often served with a side bowl of rice, there is a way to get the fish and rice served together. This would be called nigiri sushi. Served this way the fish tends to be sliced thinner than sashimi and lies on a small bed of rice, just a bit bigger than the size of a thumb. If you are not the biggest fan of spicy flavour be careful, many sushi restaurants hide a dash of wasabi between the fish and the rice.

Yet another way to order sushi is in the form of temaki. This type of sushi is a hand roll, meaning it is served as a large cone or roll. Similar to the makimono, all the goodies are stuffed inside but the difference is that this type of roll is not cut into bite size pieces. And just as the name implies, this roll is eaten with your hands.

I hope I have helped all of you sushi amatuers out there and PLEASE don't be afraid of the sashimi! Stay tuned and I may blog about all the different and fun variations of sushi flavours out there. It will make your mouth water!

I think I have to go pick up some sushi now...

Image taken from: sushipalace.com