Sushi 101

By: Celeste Stewart

Sushi restaurants make for an unusual, and exciting, dining experience. First, who can resist the artistry of the chefs in action? Second, eating sushi means you’ll have a variety of small plates of food to enjoy throughout the evening. Finally, it’s a bold choice and perfect for socializing.

If you’ve never tried sushi before, it helps to understand the basics. Sushi is a form of sliced raw fish carefully, and artfully, prepared and generally served on a bed of rice or in a seaweed-wrapped roll. Sashimi is similar in that it is also sliced raw fish however it is served on its own.

To accompany the sushi or sashimi selections, you’ll often find a small bowl of soy sauce along with thin slices of ginger and a dab of wasabi. Watch out, wasabi is a pasty, hot Japanese condiment similar to horseradish. In fact, the wasabi at some sushi restaurants is actually a blend of horseradish and mustard. Ask for fresh wasabi if available. Fresh wasabi is usually grated and it will cost a bit more but it offers a unique flavor that enhances your meal. Add the ginger and wasabi to the soy sauce to suit your tastes and dip the sushi in this mixture.

The sushi chefs take great care and pride in their techniques and use the highest-grade fish available. Sushi comes in several styles including:

• Chirashi-zushi - a bowl with rice and sashimi
• Inari-zushi - a stuffed tofu pouch
• Maki-zushi - a seaweed roll stuffed with rice and fish
• Nigiri-zushi - finger-sized rice beds topped with fish and a touch of wasabi
• Temaki-zushi - a seaweed cone filled with rice and fish

The first-time sushi experience can be as intense as you want. If eating raw fish doesn’t sound appealing, you’ll be pleased to know that many items are cooked. Among the sushi selections that feature cooked fish are unagi and anago (eel), ebi (shrimp - not the sweet shrimp however), and tako (octopus). In addition, you can order selections that have been “cooked” in an acidic marinade such as saba (mackerel). The marinade cooks the meat rather than heat.

Other choices for the inexperienced include California rolls which are seaweed rolls featuring rice, avocado, and imitation crab meat. Cucumber rolls are also a good vegetarian choice.

Ready to jump in and try some raw fish? Start with mild selections such as tai (red snapper), ohyo (halibut), and maguro (tuna). These choices have a less “fishy” taste and may surprise you with their delicacy.

Round out your sushi meal with a little Saki (a Japanese wine traditionally served warm) or a good Japanese beer such as Sapporo and enjoy the evening. Don’t be afraid to let your server know that you are new to this and they’ll be pleased to assist you in making the best choices.

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