Sushi: More Than Raw Fish

There is More to Sushi Than Raw Fish

Sushi came into existence around the second century A.D. when there was a need to keep meat preserved and fresh without the availability of advanced machines, like refrigerators. Thus, the inventors came up with an idea to wrap the fish in rice. Several myths regard sushi as just simple raw fish. When in reality sushi is much more than rice and fish!

Sushi on wood serving tray and soy sauce in dipping bowl

To many, sushi is a form of art. Here are some facts about sushi that we bet you’ve never heard…

Fun Facts About Sushi

Sushi was not invented in Japan.  Yes, you read that correctly! Sushi was originally invented by the Southeast Asian people. The fish wrap came from the areas surrounding the Mekong River. From there, it reached China and later, Japan. People around these countries became aware of Sushi somewhere in the mid 1800s. 

It has various health benefits.  Sushi is full of ingredients that benefit our physical health and body. It contains Omega-3  fats (healthy fats) and does not have any adverse impacts on our health. Nori (seaweed) is a rich source of iodine that improves the thyroid and gives Vitamin A  to the body. What more could you ask for?

The sushi rice was discarded in the early days  When sushi was first introduced to mankind, people used to throw away the rice that was wrapped around the fish, and would only consume the fish. Who knew?

Sushi was used as currency. When it first emerged, sushi was considered a highly prized possession. In AD 8th Century in  Japan, people used sushi to pay their taxes. Imagine how cool would that be! 

Different Types of Sushi.

Here are the most common:

Nigirizushi is a thin slice of fish is hand-pressed on top of the sushi rice, along with different vegetables or omelets. 

Inarizushi is a pouch of fried tofu which is filled with sushi rice. The overall flavor is on the sweet side.

Makizushi is one of the most common types of sushi and you have probably seen it, or even eaten it on many occasions. The rice and filling are rolled within seaweed. Let the good times roll! 

Narezushi is the earliest form of sushi. The fish is fermented with rice, and the rice is thrown away before  consumption. 

Oshizushi describes the toppings that are layered onto each other one by one. The sushi is then cut into different  shapes, such as rectangles, triangles, etc. 

Chirashizushi where the rice is served in a bowl, covered with different vegetables. 

Is Sashimi a type of sushi? 

No, Sashimi is quite different from Sushi. It has raw, thin slices of fish, typically salmon or tuna.  Sashimi is not served with rice, but with daikon radish.

No matter which way you slice it, sushi is a winner in our books. Be sure to serve up your sushi on your favorite Acaciaware plate from Pacific Merchants. Yum!

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