Sushi is a popular Japanese dish made from seasoned rice with fish, egg, or vegetables. Sushi comes from a Japanese word meaning "sour rice," and it's the rice that's at the heart of sushi, even though most Americans think of it as raw fish. In fact, it's the word sashimi that refers to a piece of raw fish.
"Irasshaimase!" the chefs are all yelling in unison the moment you enter their restaurant. It's a surprise the first time it happens but get used to it, it's standard practice throughout Japan.
According to a registered dietician, healthy adults can safely consume 2-3 sushi rolls, which means 10-15 pieces of sushi per week. However, the statistics are different for the elderly, pregnant women and others with the compromised digestive system.
Why eat wasabi with sushi? Traditionally, wasabi was used to make the fish taste better and to fight bacteria from raw fish. Today, wasabi is still used for this reason. Its flavor is designed to bring out the taste of the raw fish, not cover it.
Don't douse your sushi in soy sauce."The etiquette of using soy sauce is not to ruin the balance of flavors by over dipping," he explains. "Normally, chefs try to give you the perfect balance to enhance the flavors of the fish and the texture of the rice, so trust them."
It is OK to eat nigiri-zushi (sushi) with your hands. It's not up to you to have proper sushi etiquette if it's physically impossible. Gari (ginger) is considered a palate cleanser and eaten between bites or different types of sushi. It is not meant to be eaten in the same bite as a piece of sushi.
You'll be given chopsticks with your meal, but if you're not comfortable using them, it's fine to ask for a fork. It's also perfectly acceptable to eat sushi with your fingers, but sashimi should be enjoyed with chopsticks or a fork.
In Japan, pregnant women do not generally stop eating sushi when they become pregnant, and many Japanese pregnancy books suggest eating sushi as part of a healthy, low-fat diet during pregnancy. Japanese tradition has it that postpartum women get certain kinds of sushi in the hospital during their recovery.
Try to avoid eating sushi on Sundays since Japanese restaurants do not typically get fresh fish delivered (and sometimes not even on Saturdays). Quality sushi restaurants are also usually closed on Mondays.
Sushi chefs discourage the mixing as creating the concoction taints the soy sauce and ruins both the spiciness and aroma of wasabi. The proper way to enjoy sushi is to apply wasabi onto the fish element of sushi and dip pieces of sushi fish side down into soy sauce to not over-saturate the morsel.
The current guidelines suggest that pregnant women can safely eat three servings a week (up to 12 ounces total) of shrimp, salmon, catfish, and other fatty fish. It's even safe for most pregnant women to eat sushi in the U.S., provided it's prepared in a clean environment.
Sushi can be eaten with your fingers or with chopsticks, so if you're not the best at handling these utensils, don't worry! Sushi is the ultimate finger food and you're encouraged to eat these delicious bite-sized pieces with your fingers.
Wasabi is a staple ingredient in sashimi and sushi dishes. It is a seasoning of choice in many Japanese sauces and dressings, much like soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Wasabi is part of the Brassicaceae family which includes flowering, mustard plants like horseradish and watercress. And it certainly lives up to its spicy traits. Typically, the pale green rhizome is grated or made into a paste but a little goes a long way.
Not all sushi is raw, which may come as a surprise to some, and you can make an entire meal from cooked food. Eel (unagi and anago) is always served cooked, and usually with a sweet and savory sauce. California rolls also have avocado, cucumber and cooked imitation crab meat (called kamaboko or surimi).
Sushi is often regarded as a weight-loss-friendly meal. Yet, many types of sushi are made with high-fat sauces and fried tempura batter, which significantly increases their calorie content. Additionally, a single piece of sushi generally contains very small amounts of fish or vegetables.
You can count on California rolls as a good source of fiber and protein; they contain about 3.6 grams of fiber and 7.6 grams of protein in one roll. However, be sure not to consume too many rolls, as they contain a high sodium count, approximately 328.9 milligrams, says UCLA Dining Services.
If you don't like fish but still want to eat sushi, there are a number of veggie-based options available. Avocado rolls are a popular choice. Avocado rolls are served as chunks of ripe avocado rolled in a layer of sushi rice and covered in seaweed. Pickled ginger usually comes with sushi rolls, too.
Sushi is designed to share, which is why so many sushi catering packages feature platters or sushi “boats.†If you're wondering how to order sushi for a hungry office, a good rule of thumb is roughly one roll (six pieces) per person. This still holds true if you're ordering starters, like salad or miso soup, too.
However, a California roll, which is one of the more popular sushi rolls, is often made with imitation crab meat. Since this type of crab meat is cooked and made from lower-mercury fish, it's generally considered safe for a pregnant woman to eat.
