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 When
most people hear the word, “Sushi”, they immediately think
of raw fish. In
truth, dishes made with raw fish are called “Sashimi”.
What defines Sushi is any dish made with vinegar rice,
which may or may not include raw fish.
Most often, Sushi will consist of various types of
shellfish such as crab or lobster, or cooked fish along with
other fresh ingredients wrapped tightly inside the sticky
vinegar rice.
Although in
today’s society you will find Sushi served most often in a
Japanese restaurant, it actually dates back to 7th
Century China. As
a way of preserving fish, the Chinese people started making
Sushi but without modern day refrigerators, they used the
natural process of fermentation.
To complete the Sushi-making process, only rice and
salt were needed. The
result was delicious fish, causing Sushi to grow in
popularity.
In the 1800s,
Sushi was made using a process that involved pressing fish in
between layers of salt and leaving it for months to ferment.
This process is known as narezushi, or “edomaezushi”,
which is still used in some restaurants in Japan.
The name narezushi was originally called “Edomae”
and shortened to Edo. This
name translates to “in front of Edo” which is a reference
to fish caught in front of Edo city and used for the making of
Sushi. Unlike the
Sushi eaten today, Edo was formed in a ball of rice with a
slice of the fish. When
it came time to eat narezushi, the rice ball was thrown out
and only the fish eaten.
Today, narezushi is very difficult to find outside of
Japan in that it has a unique taste not usually appreciated by
Westerners.
As time
passed and many of the Japanese and Chinese cultures crossed,
Sushi became a popular food choice in both countries.
Throughout the cities, you would find food stands where
various types of Sushi were sold.
In fact, during intermission at the various theaters,
Sushi was sold as a snack much like the popcorn sold in
today’s theaters. 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
made. 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.
The
popularity of Sushi is greater now than ever.
People are much more health conscious and enjoy the
fact that Sushi is low fat, loaded with nutrients, and easy
and quick to make. For
instance, 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.
What began as
a means of preserving fish has turned into a multi-billion
dollar industry with thousands upon thousands of Sushi
restaurants dotting the country.
If you have never eaten Sushi, you will probably be
surprised at how delicious it is.
Sushi has a nice, light taste that leaves you
satisfied.
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