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History of Sushi
Although people often think of raw fish at the mention of the word sushi,
the term sushi actually refers to the marriage of its main ingredient
- rice - with various flavourings and garnishes. Sashimi is the raw fish
element found in some sushi products.
Sushi actually came about as a method for preserving fish during the
17th Century in Japan. The fish would be washed before being salted and
pressed between a bed of rice and a heavy stone for 2-3 weeks. The stone
was then removed and replaced with a lighter cover and left for a month
or two, after which the now fermented fish was considered ready to eat.
Initially the rice was discarded but in later years was retained and eaten
along with the fish.
Types of Sushi
Nigiri sushi - along with norimaki sushi, is one of the most common
forms that sushi takes. Nigiri sushi comprises a small block of rice accompanied
usually by a strip of seafood on top. Nigiri sushi is typical of Tokyo
food - the reason many varieties use some form of seafood relates to the
fact that the city (known as Edo prior to 1868) always had an abundance
of seafood in its coastal waters.
Norimaki sushi - norimaki sushi is a rolled form of sushi with
narrow strips of different ingredients (seafood, crisp vegetables pro
pickles) layered on a bed of vinegar rice and enclosed by a sheet of 'nori'
or seaweed. Norimaki is the most common form of sushi outside Japan and
is often rolled 'inside out' with rice on the outside of the seaweed.
Just about any ingredient can be rolled into the center from crisp vegetable
to strips of omelette or avocado. It is often the first type of sushi
eaten by newcomers to the food.
Oshi sushi - Osu means to push or press, sometimes called Hako
susuhi (sushi in a box). The rice merchants of Osaka - the financial capital
of Japan, first developed oshi sushi (or pressed sushi). Rice would be
packed into a box and covered with marinated fish or other ingredients.
When un-folded, the resulting load of sushi would be cut into bit-sized
pieces.
Chirashi sushi - This means 'scattered sushi'. A number of ingredients
are mixed with rice. Traditionally there are nine ingredients and the
sushi is prepared over nine stages - nine is considered an auspicious
number in Japan.
Gunkan - With this type of sushi, the sushi chef forms a small
dried-seaweed (nori) case around the rice. This helps to support a verity
of seafood that would otherwise fall off the rice, such as sea urchin
(uni) and various fish eggs such as salmon eggs (ikura).
Inari - Deep-fried, thinly sliced tofu is cooked din soy-based
stock and stuffed with vinegar rice - sometimes small prawns, shiitake
mushrooms and other ingredients are added.
Temaki - A less common form of sushi in Australia is temaki, which
are sushi cones rolled by hand and filled with rice, seafood, meat, vegetables
etc.
Chakinsushi - The same as Chkinsushi, but the rice id folded in
the wrapper. The names comes for the Japanese word 'fudusa', which means
'silk scarf' and refers to the squared of fabric wrapped around gifts
in Japan.
Fukusasuhi - The same as Chakinsushi, but the rice is folded in
the wrapper. The name comes from the Japanese word 'fudusa', which means
silk scarf and refers to the squares of fabric wrapped around gifts in
Japan.
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