sushi

For people in Japan, rice and fish are two of the primary pillars of the diet. Served as SUSHI, they have long been a favourite delicacy, Biting into the rice and its seafood topping, the flavours and textures blend and melt together to produce a delectable depth of flavour. This type of SUSI is called NIGIRI-ZUSI.

Each portion consists of a bite-sized serving of vinegared rice and a topping. In the sushi world, the toppings are called NETA. Usually, the NETA is some kind of seafood. Many kinds of fish are served. both red and white, shrimp and squid, all kinds of shell fish.. There are a tremendous variety of toppings, In the Jargon of the sushi shop, the rice base for the sushi is known as the SARI. The chef blends vinegar into steaming-hot, freshly cooked rice, using a paddle. It takes skill to mix the vinegar into the rice without crushing the individual grains.

Next the rice must be fanned to blow away the excess moisture as it cools down. The sugars in the vinegar form a coating around each grain of rice. This stops them from becoming sticky and seals in the flavour. This is the technique for preparing susi: while the NETA is held in the left hand, the shari rice is formed with the right hand.

A dab of wasabi horseradish is smeared onto the underside of the NETA. In a matter of seconds, the susi is ready. In ancient times, susi was a means of preserving food through a fermentation process. Originally, only the fish was eaten, the rice was just for packing around it. It was in the early years of the 19th century that susi developed into the form that we recognize today. By this time, people in the city were starting to enjoy greater affluence, and there was growing demand for greater variety in their diet. New kinds of food were developed to match the informal style of eating at food stalls. This was how NIGARI-ZUSI came into being.

Over time, what began as a method for preserving fish developed into Japan's most famous food that today is eaten around the world.