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 The
great thing about eating Sushi is that it can be eaten as an
appetizer or main course in a fine Japanese restaurant or
snacked on at home. Being
loaded with rich nutrients and low in calories, Sushi makes
the perfect food. For
this reason, Sushi is served in homes and restaurants around
the world every day.
The three
main categories of Sushi include Nigiri, which is a small rice
mound topped with cooked or raw fish, Temaki, hand rolled
cones of seaweed that are filled with rice, vegetables, and
fish, and Norimaki or Maki, which is a combination of rice
along with fish and/or vegetables all rolled up in dried
seaweed, with all three having the same foundation of vinegar
rice. For each of
these categories, the preparation is as unique as the
presentation or serving.
For the right
presentation, Sushi should be served on authentic Japanese
dishes. Although
the dishes do not have to match, they should all have a
Japanese influence. If
you do not have any Japanese dishes, dark colored platters or
plates are most acceptable.
If a group of people order from a Sushi bar or
restaurant, or if you have a group of friends over for dinner
and serve a variety of Sushi types, you would use a communal
platter.
In this
situation, a nice presentation would be to serve the Norimaki
Sushi in groups of four and Nigiri in pairs, or whatever
combination you prefer as long as it is in even numbers.
Keep in mind that if you serve Temaki or Norimaki
rolls, you should serve them to your guests first as the
ingredients can cause the seaweed to become soggy.
For any type
of Sushi, the seasonings used are crucial.
The two main types of condiments served are Soy Sauce
and Wasabi Sauce, which is Japanese horseradish and quite hot.
Some people in the United States have discovered that
mixing a little soy sauce with the Wasabi is delicious.
However, this is taboo in Japan.
Along with these, pickled ginger slices are served but
only as something to cleanse the palette between eating the
different Sushi varieties.
For instance, if you were to eat Ebi, which is shrimp,
you would take a small bite of the ginger to cleanse the
palette before you moved to the Unagi Sushi, which is eel.
Remember that
it is perfectly fine to serve a communal platter of Sushi but
every person should receive his or her own dish containing
each of the condiments. If
you are having a Sushi party for people who have never enjoyed
the taste and experience of Sushi, a simple card with eating
instructions can be placed at each setting advising the guests
that the Sushi should be dipped with the seaweed side and not
the rice, which prevents it from soaking up too much of the
condiment of choice.
When going to
a Sushi bar or restaurant, you would expect to be offered a
hot towel used for washing your hands before picking up the
Sushi to eat. The
Sushi is generally chosen from a variety of types displayed
and then eaten with fingers or chopsticks.
Rather than take a small bite of the Sushi, the entire
piece is considered a single bite.
For your own Sushi dinner party, you can offer guests a
small hot washcloth for their hands.
Finally, serving green tea with the Sushi is another
way of cleansing the palette and adds to the overall
experience. If
you are a true Sushi connoisseur, the following are commonly
used dishes or tools for serving or creating Sushi:
·
Sushi Maki – These are small mats made from
bamboo and used for rolling the Sushi, which is then cut into
circles to eat
·
Nigiri Sushi Mold – If you prefer to use a
mold rather than your hand, this mold is perfect for creating
uniform shapes
·
Lacquerware – Lacquer is one of the primary
types of plates or platters used in China and Japan for
serving Sushi
·
Wood Sushi Press – This tool helps create the
perfect Sushi roll. Simply
layer in the ingredients, press, and then cut the serving
pieces to size.
·
Sashimi Serving Trays – Sashimi is similar to
Sushi except that it includes only raw fish.
However, these serving trays can be used for both
Sashimi and Sushi.
·
Rectangular Servers – If you love having
dinner parties or intimate Sushi dinners, these servers are
designed with beautiful Oriental design
·
Dipping Dishes – These dishes are created for
dipping Sushi in the Soy Sauce and/or Wasabi
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