ABOUT SUSHI....

 

SO, WHAT IS THIS STUFF THEY CALL SUSHI…?

Most westerners are under the impression that “sushi” means raw fish.? That however is a rather broad and incomplete notion.? Rather, dishes made with raw fish are called “Sashimi”.? What defines Sushi is the use of vinegar rice in the dish, which may or may not include raw fish.?

The practice of making sushi dates back to 7th Century China.? As a way of preserving fish without modern day refrigerators, the Chinese used the natural process of fermentation.? Only rice and salt were needed to complete this simple and cost effective way of producing delicious fish, and sushi has been popular ever since.?

During the 1800s, Sushi was made using a process of pressing fish in between layers of salt and fermenting for months.? This process is known as narezushi, or “edomaezushi”, which is still used in some restaurants in Japan.? Sometimes, this process is referred to as Edomae, or Edo for short.? Unlike the Sushi eaten today, Edo was formed in a ball of rice with a slice of the fish; the rice ball was thrown out and only the fish eaten.? Today, narezushi is very difficult to find outside of Japan, as the taste is not usually appreciated by Westerners.? At Miyako we still use this method to produce our mackerel (saba); our sushi chefs in Greenville and Spartanburg still take the time to prepare our saba in these time tested traditional methods.?

As time passed and many of the Japanese and Chinese cultures crossed, Sushi became a popular food choice in both countries.? Since Sushi was easy and quick to make, it became a staple for most households in the 19th Century to accommodate the busy lifestyles of the Japanese people.? Eventually, a food shortage in Japan changed the way in which Sushi was consumed; rather than throw the rice out, it was now eaten along with the fish.? Additionally, the fermentation process was shortened so the fish although still safe to eat, was a little on the raw side.? Because the fermentation process was shortened, the Sushi had a slightly sour taste, which people loved.? As people began experimenting, they discovered that by making the rice with a little vinegar the same sour taste was produced and better yet, the fermentation time was dramatically reduced to one or two days.?

A typical serving of Sushi consists of 8 to 10 pieces, which is around 350 to 400 calories.? Because of the fish, Sushi is high in protein and an excellent source for Omega 3 fatty acid.? From the seaweed used in Sushi along with the rice, this food is also rich in iodine and complex carbohydrates.? Eat Sushi: Be Healthy.

Got Fish?