Sushi – A Japanese dish consisting of small bolls or rolls of sticky rice served with a garnish of raw fish, vegetables or egg (aka the best stuff on earth)
Photo by Annie Eng
Now that we have established what sushi is exactly, I can further persuade you to try this heavenly food for yourself. In order to delve into the extraordinary world of sushi head first, I will go over some need-to-know terms for your future adventure to your local sushi restaurant. Keep this guide for safekeeping and you’ll be a sushi pro in no time!
Now if your going to try sushi you are going to need the full experience. There are some necessary staples that come along with any sushi order that must be utilized:
Soy Sauce – Please tell me you know what this is. An all around tasty sauce to dip your sushi in; double-dipping is definitely not looked down upon in this scenario.
Wasabi – It is a spicy paste, also labeled as Japanese horseradish, that you put on sushi to make it taste 10 times better than it already does. Do not mistake this for avocado or an innocent green vegetable for your nasal passages will start crying, small dosages people!
Gari – These white/tan colored slices of ginger have been marinated in sugar and vinegar and are used as a palate cleanser in between different sushi pieces and rolls to get the full taste and experience (I always ask for more. It’s just so good)!
Nori– The Japanese name for edible seaweed species from red algae. You will find it floating in your miso soup and wrapped tightly inside your sushi rolls holding all of the fish and good stuff together.
Photo courtesy of wisegeek.com
Now that we’ve covered the basics we can get a little fancier. If you’re feeling adventurous, try these delicacies along with your sushi experience:
Sashimi – Forget the rolls and go for just the fresh slices of fish. – simple and delicious.
Nigiri – often mistaken for sashimi, nigiri is a slice of raw fish over pressed vinegar rice.
Tobiko – the Japanese word for flying fish roe, or fish eggs. Sounds gross? Don’t freak out because they’re just there to make your sushi look pretty and add a little crunch or taste depending on how they’re prepared.
And of course no meal would be complete without a drink to go along with it (if you’re old enough). Drink some sake!
Photo courtesy of thisisjapan.asia
Sake– Ever hear of sake bombing? this is the stuff! It is made from fermented rice and contains 18%-20% of alcohol but often diluted with water to about 15%.
Screenshot or print out this article to have a comprehensive guide when exploring sushi for the first time or for every time you go to sushi. Now go out and enjoy yourself!
Taken by Nicolle Luftman