Nigiri, Maki, Oshi... Where does sushi come from how many types there are can be found in this article.
Hardly anyone is yet familiar with the court. But hardly any other dish cleaves the spirits as much as sushi: One almost idolizes it and eats himself round as a ball every time. The other one simply cannot stand the raw fish at all. But for all those who would like to learn more about this wonderful dish, we have put together a list of some of the ingredients.
Where does sushi come from?
Contrary to the common opinion that Sushi originates from Japan and was invented as a food dish, in reality it was quite different. Actually, the idea of wrapping fish in rice originated in South East Asia and was used to preserve the raw fish. Together they were then placed in vessels for fermentation. The rice that had become sour as a result was discarded and only the fish was still eaten.
Starting from the Mekong River, where this method was first used, it has spread all the way to Japan. But the enjoyment of fish together with rice as a food actually comes from Japan. Through this combination the Sushi known today as "Nigiri" was created.
Which sushi is what?
Now for a little sushi lesson:
- Nigiri:
Take sushi rice, form it into a finger-long roll and cover it with a piece of raw fish or other topping to make "Nigiri".
- Maki:
The term "Maki" is used to describe rolled sushi. The Sushi is rolled with a bamboo mat (called Makisu - hence the name). The algae leaf can be on the outside or inside. Traditionally they are filled with salmon, tuna, eel, tofu or even omelet, cucumber or carrot. Sometimes with avocado.
- California Rolls:
This Sushi is also known as "Inside-Out". Here the fish or vegetables are directly coated with the algae leaf. Then follows the rice. So that it does not look too boring and also gets a little color, the rice is then coated with sesame, gomashio or fish eggs.
- Te-Maki:
Ever had a rolled waffle? If you replace the wafer with a seaweed leaf and the sweet filling with rice and fish, you get "Te-Maki".
- Sashimi:
Sashimi is basically without any kind of accessories. One understands by it the raw, finely filleted fish. Here it is important to use extremely fresh fish.
- Oshi:
This Sushi is a little bit similar to the Nigiri, only that there is a first layer of rice and then a layer of fish. These two are then cut into small pieces together. The rolling is practically omitted.
- Inari:
What would all this be if there wasn't another fried version of it. Voila! Here she is. The dumpling, which can be filled with rice, fish and vegetables, consists of fried tofu.
Did you know?
Basically, ginger and wasabi are always served with sushi. But why?! At the time of the first official sushi dishes, ginger and wasabi were still regarded as remedies. The wasabi, which was served with the sushi, was supposed to protect against poisoning due to the consumption of raw fish. The consumption of pickled ginger had rather taste reasons. It serves and has served as a neutralizer so that after each piece of sushi you can enjoy the next one to the fullest.
However, one should be careful with wasabi in Germany. In this country, there is a little trickery involved. So, the wasabi is made and colored from horseradish and mustard powder next to our sushi. The right wasabi is sharper around corners. Thus, one should always start carefully so that one does not experience its green miracle and numbs all taste buds.
After eating the sushi, you should treat yourself and the chef with some sake. This is considered a sign of recognition in Japan. Well then: cheers and bon appétit!