Sushi

Sushi originated from the idea of preserving fish by fermenting it in cooled boiled rice. This process is known as narezushi. When narezushi was ready to eat, the rice was removed and only the fish eaten. However, eventually a food shortage in Japan changed the way in which Sushi was made. Rather than throw the rice away, it was now eaten along with the fish. Also, the fermentation process was now shortened. This gave the sushi a slightly sour taste, which became very popular. Later, people used vinegar to recreate the same sour taste and fermentation time was reduced to one or two days.

Since sushi was so quick and easy to make, it became a staple food for the busy lifestyles of Japanese people. Sushi toppings could be raw, cooked or marinated. Fish eaten raw must be fresh and of a higher quality than fish which is to be cooked. Fresh fish should smell clean, and have a vivid colour. There is a saying in Japanese that fresh fish should be eaten raw for the best taste, then grilled, and only boiled as a last resort when the fish was no longer fresh.

There are many different types of sushi. Sushi served wrapped in seaweed laver is called maki (rolls), sushi made with toppings on a hand-formed clump of rice is called nigiri, and a block-shaped sushi formed using a wooden mould is called oshibako.

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