We all love sushi but do we actually REALLY love them? How well is your sushi knowledge? Just starting out? Then read on to learn more and in return, enlighten your friends so that they too can learn how to consume sushi the right way especially when you’re dining in a legit Japanese restaurants.
First thing first, there are 5 types of sushi which you must learn how to identify and address like a pro before advancing to intermediate level aka learning how to enjoy them:
1. Nigiri
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Nigiri usually has a topping – usually fish – on top of sushi rice. However, not all nigiri is raw – though the dish itself is best for people who want to appreciate the flavour of the fish, shellfish or other toppings.
2. Sashimi
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This dish is usually a fish or shellfish that is served alone, with no rice. It’s best for people who really love the taste of seafood on its own.
3. Maki
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Maki are those adorable tiny rolls consisting of just rice and filling wrapped in seaweed. It’s what I would call a basic sushi roll.
4. Uramaki
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The Uramaki is similar to the Maki, but instead, the rice is on the outside of the seaweed wrap. These rolls often have lots of toppings and sauces, and they may either be cooked or raw.
5. Temaki
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These are sushi that have been hand-rolled into a cone shape. It’s like a savoury sushi ice-cream. It’s also not something that is shared like the other types of rolls (I mean you can, but it’ll be difficult and messy).
Now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way, let’s look at how we can prepare ourselves before starting our meal.
Use the wet towel to clean your hands before you eat as the most traditional way to eat a Maki or Nigiri is to use the fingers. DO NOT use it on your face to ‘freshen up’.
For sashimi, pour a small amount of soy sauce into the sauce bowl – you can add more later anyway. Wasting soy sauce is taboo in Japanese dining etiquette, and pouring too much out may also signify that you suspect the fish is oil and needs ‘doctoring’ before you have even tried it. Now, this is something a lot of people do, but to add wasabi to your little bowl of soy sauce is not the best way to enjoy your sushi.
When you’re not eating, your chopsticks should be on the holder beside your plate, tidy and parallel to the table rather than on the plate or your dipping bowl. Leaving your chopsticks anywhere else can indicate that you are done eating.
Using Wasabi and Ginger With Sushi
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No matter how much you love the burn – and I absolutely do – turning your soy sauce into a cloudy mess is not the proper way to eat sushi. The chef has already added small amounts of wasabi into each piece based on the type of fish to bring out flavours.
Restaurants provide additional wasabi to accommodate people with spicy interests, but adding too much wasabi in front of the chef might insult him as you’re hiding the natural taste of the fish he painstakingly handpicked. It’s like dumping a tonne of tomato sauce over the perfect beef cut in an expensive restaurant. If you need to add wasabi, brush some onto the fish! The only time that mixing wasabi into your soy sauce is when you will be eating sashimi.
Fresh ginger is also provided to cleanse your palate between bites and should never be eaten at the same time with a piece of sushi.
How to Eat Sushi the Right Way
Now, there are no pretentious guidelines as to which type of sushi you should start off with first. The chef may have his own plan for which pieces should come in first. If you particularly enjoy something the chef made, tell him, and ask for another piece.
Though you traditionally eat Sashimi with chopsticks, you usually eat sushi by lifting a piece between your thumb and middle finger. Picking the sushi with your fingers allows you to feel the texture and helps to keep it together rather than damaging it with wooden sticks. But don’t worry, you’ll be forgiven for using chopsticks.
Firstly, turn the piece upside down by rotating it counter-clockwise. Then dip only the fish part into your soy sauce – NEVER THE RICE because not only will the rice absorb the soy sauce, and change the texture of the bite, leaving rice in your sauce bowl is amateur. Oooh. Also, preparing the rice with vinegar is also part of the sushi art. So, you don’t want to offend the chef. Sushi pieces such as unagi (eel) and those with sauce already on top should not be dipped.
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Pieces should be placed in the mouth upside down so that the fish is against your tongue. Then, allow your tongue to take in complex flavours before gulping down the bite. No matter the size, you should be able to eat the entire piece in one bite. No one will fault you for biting it into half if it can’t fit your mouth, but usually things will fall apart.
Pieces should be placed in the mouth upside down so that the fish is against your tongue. Then, allow your tongue to take in complex flavours before gulping down the bite. No matter the size, you should be able to eat the entire piece in one bite. No one will fault you for biting it into half if it can’t fit your mouth, but usually things will fall apart.
You’ve now come to the end of this article which I hope that has shed ample light onto how you can have a fantastic Japanese gastronomical experience. Itadakimas!
Header image source from here.
