1 History

The traditional form of sushi is fermented fish and rice,preserved with salt in a process that has been traced to Southeast Asia,where it remains popular today.The term sushi comes from an archaic grammatical form no longer used in other contexts;literally,"sushi" means "it's sour",a reflection of its historic fermented roots.
The science behind the fermentation of fish packed in rice is that the vinegar produced from fermenting rice breaks the fish down into aminoacids.This results is one of the five basic tastes,called umami in Japanese.The oldest form of sushi in Japan,Narezushi still very closely resembles this process.In Japan,Narezushi involved into Oshizushi and ultimately Edomae nigirizushi,which is what the world today know as "sushi".
Contemporary 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 fish.
Beginning in the Muromachi period (AD 1336-1573) of Japan,vinegar was added to the mixture for better taste and preservation.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 involved into oshi-zushi.The seafood and rice were pressed using wooden(usually bamboo)molds.By the 18th century,this form of sushi had reached Edo (contemporary Tokyo).
The contemporary version,internationally known as "sushi",was invented by Hanaya Yohei (1799 - 1858) at the end of Edo period in Edo.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 theater.Originally,this sushi was known as Edomae zushi,because it used freshly caught fish in the Edo-mae (Edo Bay or Tokyo Bay).Though the fish used in modern sushi no longer usually comes from Tokyo Bay,it is still formally known as Edomae nigirizushi.

2.Types of Sushi

The common ingredient across all the different kinds of sushi is sushi rice.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.

2.1 Nigirizushi

Nigirizushi (lit. hand-formed sushi).This consists of an oblong mound of sushi rice that is pressed between the palms of the hands,usually with a bit of wasabi and a topping draped over it.Toppings are typically fish such as salmon,tuna or seafood.Certain toppings are typically bound to the rice with a thin strip of nori,most commonly tako(octopus),unagi(freshwater eel),anago(see eel),ika(squid) and tamago(sweet egg).
When ordered separately,nigiri is generally served in pairs.A sushi set may contain only one piece of each topping.

• Gunkanmaki (lit. warship roll).A special type of nigiri-zushi;an oval,hand formed clump of sushi rice that has a strip of "nori" wrapped around its perimeter to form a vessel that is filled with some soft,loose or fine-chopped ingredient that requires the confinement of nori such as roe,natto,oysters,sea urchin,corn with mayonnaise and quail eggs.Gunkan-maki was invented at the Ginza Kyubey(kubei) restaurant in 1931,it's invention significantly expanded the repertoire of soft toppings used in sushi.
• Temarizushi (lit. ball sushi).It is a ball-shaped sushi made by pressing rice and fish into a ball-shaped form by hand using a plastic wrap.They are quite easy to make and thus a good starting point for beginners.
  

2.2 Makizushi

Makisushi rolls Rolling maki

Makizushi (lit. rolled sushi).A cylindrical piece, formed with the help of a bamboo mat,called a makisu.Makizushi is generally wrapped in nori,but can occasionally be found wrapped in a thin omelette,soy paper,cucumber or parsley.Makizushi is usually cut into six or eight pieces,which constitutes a single roll order.Bellow are some common types of makizushi,but many oders kinds exist.

• Futomaki (lit. large or fat rolls).A large cylindrical piece,with nori on the outside.A typical futomaki is three or four centimeters(1.5 in.) in diameter.They are often made with two or three fillings that are chosen for their complementary tastes and colors.During the Setsubun festival,it is traditional in Kansai to eat uncut futomaki in its cylindrical form.Futomaki is generally vegetarian,but may include toppings such as tiny fish eggs.
• Hosomaki (lit. thin rolls).A small cylindrical piece,with the nori on the outside.A typical hosomaki has a diameter of about two centimeters(0.75 in.).They generally contain only one filling,often tuna,cucumber,kampyo,thinly sliced carrots or,more recently,avocado.
• Kappamaki. A kind of Hosomaki filled with cucumber,is name 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.
• Tekkamaki.Is a kind of Hosomaki filled with raw tuna.Although some believe that the name "Tekka",meaning "red hot iron",alludes to the color of the tuna,it actually originated as a quick snack to eat in gambling dens called "Tekkaba",much like the sandwich.
• Negitoromaki. Is a kind of Hosomaki filled with scallion and chopped tuna.Fatty tuna is often used in this style.
• Tsunamayomaki. Is a kind of Hosomaki filled with canned tuna tossed with mayonnaise.
• Temaki (lit. hand rolls).A large cone-shaped piece of nori on the outside and the ingredients spilling out the wide end.A typical Temaki is about ten centimeters(4 in.) long,and is eaten with fingers because it is too awkward to pick it up with chopsticks.For optimal taste and texture,Temaki must be eaten quickly after being made because the nori cone soon absorbs moisture from the filling and loses its crispness and becomes somewhat difficult to bite.
• Uramaki (lit. inside-out rolls).A medium-sized cylindrical piece,with two or more fillings.Uramaki differs from other maki because the rice is on the outside and the nori inside.The filling is in the center surrounded by nori,the layer of rice and a outer coating of some other ingredients such as roe or toasted sesame seeds.It can be made with different fillings such as tuna,crab meat,avocado,mayonnaise,cucumber and carrots.
  

2.3 Oshizushi

• Oshizushi (lit. pressed sushi),pressed sushi from the Kansai Region, a favorite and specialty of Osaka.A block-shaped piece formed using a wooden mold,called an oshibako.The chef lines the botton 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.The block is removed from the mold and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
  

2.4 Inarizushi

Inari-zushi (lit.stuffed sushi) A pouch of fried tofu filled with usually just sushi rice.It is named after the Shinto god Inari,who is believe to have a fondness for fried tofu.
The pouch is normally fashioned as deep-fried tofu(abura age).Regional variations include pouches are made of a thin omelette(fukusa-zushi or chakin-zushi) or dried gourd shavings(kapyo).It should not be confused with inari-maki,which is a roll filled with flavored fried tofu.A very large version,sweeter than normal and often containing bits of carrot,is popular in Hawaii,where it is called "cone sushi".

2.5 Chirashizushi

Chirashizushi (lit. scattered sushi).A bowl of sushi rice with other ingredients mixed in(also refers to barazushi).It is commonly eaten en Japan because it is filling,fast and easy to make.Chirashizushi most often varies regionally because it is eaten annually as a part of the Doll Festival,celebrated only during March in Japan.Chirashizushi is sometimes interesting because the ingredients are often chef's choice.

• Edomae chirashizushi (Edo-style scattered sushi) is an uncooked ingredient that is arranged artfully on top of the sushi rice bowl.
• Gomokuzushi (Kansai-style sushi).Cooked or uncooked ingredients mixed in the body of rice in a bowl.
  

2.6 Narezushi

• Narezushi (lit. matured sushi) is a traditional form of fermented sushi.Skinned and gutted fish are stuffed with salt,placed in a wooden barrel,doused with salt again,then weighed down with a heavy tsukemonoishi(pickling stone).As days pass,water seeps out and is removed.After six months this funazushi can be eaten,remaining edible for another six months or more.
  

2.7 Western sushi

The increasing popularity of sushi in North America,as well as around the world,has resulted in variations of sushi typically found in the West and rarely if at all in Japan.
Such creations to suite the Western palate were initially fueled by the invention of the California roll.A wide variety of popular rolls has involved since.Some examples include:

• California roll consists of avocado,kanikama(imitation crab stick),and cucumber,often made uramaki(with rice on the outside,nori on the inside).
• Caterpillar roll generally includes avocado,unagi,kanikama and cucumber.
• Dynamite roll includes yellowtail(hamachi),and fillings such as bean sprouts,carrots,chili and spicy mayonnaise(Dynamite roll and Crunchy roll are essentially reversed in some parts of Canada,especially western Canada).
• Rainbow roll is typically a California roll topped with several various sashimi.
• Spider roll includes fried soft shell crab and other fillings such as cucumber,avocado,daikon sprouts or lettuce,roe and spicy mayonnaise.
• Philadelphia roll almost always consists of smoked salmon,cream cheese,cucumber and/or onion.
• Salmon roll has grilled salmon skin with sweet sauce and cucumber.
• Crunchy roll a California roll deep fried tempura-style,often topped with sweet eel sauce or chili sauce(see above note regarding Canadian usage).
• Seattle roll consists of cucumber,avocado and raw or smoked salmon.
  

Other rolls may include scallops,spicy tuna,beef or chicken,or teriyaki roll,okra,vegetables and cheese.Sushi rolls can also be made with brown rice and black rice.
These have also appeared in Japanese cuisine.

3.Ingredients

All sushi has a base of specially prepared rice,complemented with other ingredients.
3.1 Sushi rice.

Sushi is made with white,short-grained,Japanese rice mixed with a dressing made of and rice vinegar,sugar,salt and occasionally kombu and 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 those from 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 variation in sushi rice and,of course,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.

3.2 Nori.(See image at the top:a sheet of 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 thin,edible sheets,and dried in the sun,in a process similar to making rice paper.
Whereas in Japan,nori may never be toasted before being used in food,many brands found in the U.S. reach drying temperatures above 108 degrees Fahrenheit.Today,the commercial product is farmed,produced,toasted,packaged and sold in standard-size sheets in about 18cm. by 21cm.(7 in.by 8 in.).Higher quality nori is thick,smooth,shiny green and has no holes.When stored for wnseveral month,nori sheets can change color to dark green-brownish.
Nori by itself is an edible snack and is available with salt or flavored with teriyaki sauce.The flavored variety,however,tends to be of lesser quality and is not suitable for sushi.
When making fukusazushi,a paper-thin omelette may replace a sheet of nori as the wrapping.The omelette is traditionally made on a rectangular omelette pan(makiyakinabe) and used to form the pouch for the rice and fillings.

3.3 Toppings and fillings Main article: List of sushi and sashimi ingredients

• Fish
  

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 important attributes,including smell,color,firmness and freedom from parasites that may go undetected in commercial inspection.Commonly-used fish are tuna(maguro,chutoro,shiro-maguro,toro)Japanese amberjack,yellowtail(hamachi),snapper(kurodai),mackere(saba)and salmon(sake).The most valued suhi ingredient is toro,the fatty cut of tuna.This comes in a variaty of otoro(often from the bluefin species of tuna)and chitoro,meaning middle toro,implying that it is halfway into the fattiness between toro and regular red tuna(maguro).
Aburi style refers to nigiri sushi where the fish is partially grilled(top side)and partially raw.Most nigiri sushi will be completely raw.

• Seafood

Other seafoods such as as squid(ika),eel(anago and unagi),conger(hamo),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)are the most popular seafoods in sushi.Oysters,however,are less common,as the taste is not thought to do well with the rice.Kani kama,or imitation crab stick,is commonly substituted for real crab,most notably in California rolls.

• Vegetables

Pickled daikon radish(takuan) in shinko maki,pickled vegetables(tsukemono),fermented soybeans(natto) in natto maki,avocado,cucumber in kappa maki,asparagus,yam,pickled ume(umeboshi),gourd(kanpyo),burdock(gobo) and sweet corn may be mixed with mayonnaise.

• Other fillings

Tofu and eggs(in the form of slightly sweet,layered omelette called tamagoyaki and raw quail eggs ride as gunkan - maki toppings) are common.


3.4 Condiments

• Shoyu

The common name for soy sauce.

• Wasabi

A piquant paste made from the grated root of the wasabi japonica plant.True wasabi has anti-microbial properties and may reduce the risk of food poisoning.The traditional grating tool for wasabi is a sharkskin grater or samegawa oroshi.
An imitation wasabi(seiyo-wasabi),made from horseradish and mustard powder and dyed green is common.It is found at lower-end kaitenzushi restaurants,in bento box sushi and at most restaurants outside of Japan,it may be labelled "Japanese Horseradish".

• Gari
  

Sweet,pickled ginger.Eaten to both cleanse the palate and aid in digestion.

• Ocha

In Japan,green tea(ocha) is invariably served together with sushi.Better sushi restaurants often use a distinctive premiun tea known as mecha.In sushi vocabulary,green tea is known as agari.

4.Nutrition

The main ingredients of traditional Japanese sushi,raw fish and rice,are naturally law in fat,high in protein,carbohydrates,vitamins and minerals.The same may not be said categorically of Western style sushi,which increasingly features non-traditional ingredients such as mayonnaise,avocado and cream cheese.
Traditional sushi contains:

• Fats: Most seafood are naturally low in fat;and what fat is found in them is generally rich unsaturated fat Omega-3.Since sushi is often served raw,no fat is introduced in its preparation.Some non-traditional ingredients such as cream cheese and mayonnaise sometimes found in Western-style sushi dishes can easily add significant amounts unhealthy fat though to a traditionally lean fish.
• Proteins: Fish,tofu,seafood,egg and many other sushi fillings contain high levels of protein.It should be noted though that imitation meat such as crab stick can be lower in protein and other nutrition than their natural,unprocessed counterparts.
• Vitamins and Minerals: These are found in much of the seafood and vegetables used for sushi.The nutritional content obviously is dependent on ingredients used.Shrimps for example are high in calcium and iodine,while salmon are rich in Vitamin D.The gari and nori used to make sushi are both rich in nutrients.Other vegetables wrapped within the sushi also offer various degrees of nutritional value.
• Carbohydrates: These are found in the rice and vegetables.Certain non-traditional ingredients though,such as mayonnaise,can raise the carbohydrate level quite high though,as with the fat level.
  

4.1 Health risks

Some fish such as tuna,especially bluefin,can carry high levels of mercury and can be hazardous when consumed in large quantities.Parasite infection by raw fish is rare in the modern world(less than 40 cases per year in the U.S.),and involves mainly three kinds of parasites:Clonorchis sinensis(a trematode/fluke),Anisakis(a nematode/round worm) and Diphyllobothrium(a cestode/tape worm).
In addition,some forms of sushi,notably puffer fugu,can cause severe poisoning if not prepared properly.
Also,some sushi ingredients and condiments such as soy sauce,contain high levels of sodium,posing a risk to those with hypertension or renal disorders.

5.Presentation

Traditionally,sushi is served on minimalist Japanese-style,geometric,mono-or duo-tone wood or lacquer plates,in keeping with the aesthetic qualities of this cuisine.
In Japan,and increasingly abroad,sushi served kaiten zushi(sushi train)style.Color coded plates of sushi are placed on a conveyor belt;as the belt passes customers choose as they please.After finishing,the bill is tallied by counting how many plates of each color have been taken.

6.Etiquette & Utensils for preparing sushi

Nigiri sushi is traditionally eaten with the fingers since rice is packed loosely so as to fall apart in one's mouth. Don't we all love sushi in the restaurants? I personally enjoy sushi and on some occasion,I just dig in and eat it with my fingers.I mean,come on,it's really hard to use the chopsticks and it takes practice to actually look like I'm not struggling while eating my favorite California Maki.

Utensils for preparing sushi:

• Fukin : Kitchen cloth.
• Hangiri : Rice barrel.
• Hocho : Kitchen knives.
• Makisu : Bamboo rolling mat.
• Ryoribashi : Cooking chopsticks.
• Shamoji : Wooden rice paddle.
• Makiyakinabe : Rectangular omelette pan.
• Oshizushihako : A mold used to make oshizushi.

7.Sushi Recipes!

Welcome to SUSHI!-one of the very best online sushi cooking resources. In Japanese cuisine, sushi is a type of food made from vinegared rice, topped or filled with fish, seafood, vegetables or egg. The topping can be raw, cooked, or marinated; and may be served scattered in a bowl of rice, rolled in nori, laid onto hand-formed clumps of rice, or stuffed in a small tofu pouch.
Here,you'll find the recipe you're looking for.Please,check our collection:

• California Sushi Roll
  
• Crayfish Sushi
• Japanese Sushi
• Nigiri(Finger) Sushi
• Nori Crab Rolls
• Salmon and Seaweed Sushi Roll
• Shrimp Sushi
• Sushi Pancakes
• Sushi Rice
• Tuna Sushi recipe
• Vegetarian Sushi recipe