I think it is fair to say that internationally, Sushi is by far Japan’s best known culinary export, though it is by no means the only delicious food available in Japan. In fact, Japan has an abundance of mouthwatering foods to savor. For now, let’s focus on sushi and sashimi.
Aburi Sushi
So, what is sushi? In the past , sushi was fish preserved in salt and fermented rice. The rice was usually discarded. The funazushi made near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshū) has a strong distinctive taste and an even stronger smell, and closely resembles the traditional dish.
The creation of the contemporary dish we think of as sushi is generally credited to Hanaya Yohei (華屋 与兵衛 or 花屋 與兵衛; 1799–1858) at the end of the Edo period in Edo (what is modern day Tokyo). Hanaya’s sushi was an early form of fast food. To prevent the fish from spoiling Hanaya must have either slightly cooked or marinated the fish in soy sauce or vinegar. Originally known as Edomae zushi, because at the time it was caught in what is now Tokyo Bay. The fish now used in sushi rarely comes from Tokyo Bay,but it still carries the same name.
Nigiri Sushi
Sushi in the time of Hanaya was very different from what people have come to expect now. For example, the fatty belly meat of tuna was not popular because it would decompose very quickly. Nowadays this kind of sushi is one of the most popular and expensive cuts. The fish was served on vinegared rice balls that would be considered large by today’s standards. Hanaya’s sushi was completely different than the raw fish style we have come to expect today.
Types of Sushi
Nigiri sushi (握り寿司, hand-formed sushi) consists of an oval-shaped ball of rice topped with a slice of another item.
Aburi sushi (炙り寿司, roasted sushi) consists of nigiri sushi with a fish topping that is partly grilled and partly raw
Gunkan-maki (軍艦巻, warship roll) is a type of sushi consisting of a rice ball wrapped in a sheet of nori which extends in a cylinder upward to hold a loose topping such as fish eggs
Maki sushi (巻き寿司, rolled sushi) consists of rice and other ingredients rolled together with a sheet of nori and there are four traditional types of maki:
- Chu maki (中巻き, medium roll) is a medium-sized rolled maki sushi usually containing several ingredients
- Futo maki (太巻き, large or fat roll) is a thick rolled maki sushi containing multiple ingredients
- Hoso maki (細巻き, thin roll) is thinly rolled maki sushi with only one ingredient
- Temaki (手巻き, hand roll) is a cone-shaped maki sushi