Interesting facts about rolls and sushi. Tips and interesting facts about sushi and rolls

How much do you know about sushi?

Just think, rice and fish - what is there not to know? What could be confusing here?

Those who have experienced the taste of this Japanese dish once, as a rule, do not limit themselves to just one time. Occasionally (although some constantly) we treat ourselves to sushi or rolls.

Of course, Japanese culture is fraught with many secrets and mysteries. But in this article you will find several facts about sushi that you most likely did not even know about.

Fresher is not necessarily tastier

I want to warn you right away: this is not a recommendation to buy sushi or other Japanese dishes that are a week old. The fact is that everyone adheres to the widely held belief that fresh sushi is sushi made from freshly caught fish. Imagine your surprise when I tell you that this is not so!

For example, the most delicious meat is not fresh meat, but what has been left in a cool place for a couple of days. During this time, the blood drains and the muscles relax. Then the meat will be tender, tasty and easily digestible. The same situation applies to fish. It takes a little time to develop a rich, rich aroma.

The fact is that the “fishy” smell does not appear immediately, but over time: when enzymes break down the protein into smaller molecules. After fermentation, the product is better absorbed, becomes tastier and healthier.

Traditionally, Japanese culture uses umami - the taste of protein substances, the so-called “fifth taste”. It can be described as a long-lasting enveloping “meat” or “broth”. Most Japanese dishes are prepared by fermentation: soy sauce, fermented natto beans, tuna flakes, miso.

Fresh fish is delicious whether you have just caught trout and cooked it over a fire or with lemon and butter. But try eating the same fresh fish raw and you'll likely be disappointed.

When you go to a fine Japanese restaurant and order the freshest fish dish, you are not eating fish that was caught that same day or even the day before. Good sashimi, sushi or rolls are those that use fish that has been marinated for several days. Unfortunately, the tradition of eating fermented fish has been preserved only in the countries of South Asia.

You don't have to use chopsticks at all

Most of the sushi we eat at our local establishments usually comes in the form of rolls, that is, rolled into a sausage. Traditional sushi is eaten in the format of nigiri - an oblong lump of rice pressed with the palms of the hand, a small amount of wasabi and a thin slice of fish.

Be honest, how many times have you put sushi in a bowl of soy sauce and tried to grab it back without it falling apart? The whole point is that you need to eat sushi with your hands!

True sushi lovers do just that. Sushi rice is usually not compressed very tightly, so the whole structure will fall apart if you try to eat it with chopsticks. The most acceptable method for eating sushi is this: imagine holding a computer mouse, slowly turn the sushi over, lightly moisten one side in the sauce and put it into your mouth at a 45° angle.

Here's a funny video that pokes fun at the traditions and manners surrounding sushi culture. Although it is humorous, it contains a lot of useful and interesting information, in particular, about how to eat sushi:

The wasabi we eat isn't actually wasabi.

It turns out that real wasabi is extremely difficult to grow. It's even more difficult to pack it correctly.

Japanese food " sushi and rolls" boasts some facts, as well as records that you should get acquainted with to expand your horizons.

Twenty years ago, only those who went to their homeland, Japan, could try sushi and rolls. Here these delicacies are everywhere - in cafes, restaurants, and also in supermarkets.

Today you can order sushi and rolls, or taste them in catering establishments, in our country. Japanese food can boast of some facts and records., which you should get acquainted with to expand your horizons.

The records that are most often set with food concern an increase in its size. Sushi chefs from Yekaterinburg decided to create the longest roll. Its length was 2.5 km. In 2009, several hundred city residents were able to see the record. Throughout the entire length, different fillings were used - meat, fish, fruits and others. As soon as the record was entered into the book, the delicacy was eaten by spectators and organizers.

It’s noteworthy, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to order rolls and sushi with insects in our country. Our citizens do not like this filling. However, in Japan and a number of other Asian countries, grasshoppers, butterflies, cockroaches and other insects are readily consumed.

Roll No. 1 in popularity

These days, rolls are delivered around the clock. Cafes and restaurants, as well as companies that specialize in this business, note that a large number of customers order roll "California". It is believed that this interest is caused by the bright taste obtained from a number of ingredients.

In some Japanese restaurants, the kitchen is located right in the middle of the room. Visitors can see that only men work here. Women also work, but only as administrators or waiters. Rolls and sushi are prepared only by the mighty of this world. Their specific body temperature helps create a distinct flavor. So, if it is decided prepare homemade rolls, then only the head of the family should do this.

"Dancing Perch" or the most expensive Japanese delicacy

If you are planning a trip to Japan for any purpose, then try to try the most expensive delicacy. This rolls "Dancing perch". The filling is fish, which is lightly doused with hot water. People who have tried it say that you can feel the tail twitching in your mouth.

Roll making machine

Our sushi chefs still have time to cope with the demand for Japanese food. Japan has long created machines that produce these delicacies.

The filling can be different, and prices are at an affordable level.

Millions of people around the world are madly in love with sushi. This dish has practically conquered the whole world over the past 20 years. There is a lot of protein in sushi, it’s easy to get enough of it, and the risk of gaining weight is almost zero. This is the main reason why most nutritionists believe that sushi is one of the most ideal and healthy options for dining out. Sushi is also very popular, since there are a huge number of varieties, and even the most picky gourmet will find something of their own. Our review contains little-known and interesting facts about this wonderful dish.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest mention of sushi in English can be found in an 1893 book called "The Japanese Interior." However, there are occasional references to sushi in other English-language sources dating back to 1873.

2. The birthplace of sushi

Contrary to popular belief, sushi did not originate in Japan, but in the rice-growing region of Southeast Asia more than two thousand years ago in the Mekong River Valley. The recipe then spread to other areas, eventually arriving in Japan around the eighth century.

3. Sushi and taxes

When sushi first appeared in Japanese society, it was highly valued. People were even allowed to pay taxes with them.

4. History of the recipe

The word "sushi" means "it's sour." This reflects the origins of the recipe for this dish (sushi was made from salted fish soaked in vinegar).

5. “Authentic” sushi

"Authentic" sushi, which is usually associated with the traditional Japanese version of this dish, is called "edomae sushi." This is a relatively recent recipe that was originally limited to the Tokyo area.

6. Fast food sushi

The modern style of sushi was created by Hanaya Yohei in 1820 and was sold in fast food kiosks. They were considered fast food because they could be eaten with both fingers and chopsticks.

7. Sumeshi

Sushi rice is called sumeshi (rice-flavored vinegar) or shari. Shari literally means "remains of Buddha" because the very white color of the rice reminded people of the remains of Buddha.

8. What to make sushi from

Sushi can be made with brown or white rice and raw or cooked fish. The raw fish is cut into pieces called sashimi, which means “pierced body.”

9. Sushi - with your fingers

The correct, or to be more precise, the traditional way to eat sushi is with your fingers, not chopsticks. However, sashimi is eaten with chopsticks. Sushi should be eaten either immediately or in 2 bites.

10. Lots and lots of sushi

There are approximately 3,946 sushi restaurants in the United States. There are about forty-five thousand of them in Japan. American sushi bars generate $2 billion in annual revenue.

11. The dangers of sushi

12. Sushi as an aphrodisiac

Sushi is commonly viewed as an aphrodisiac because the two most commonly found fish, salmon and mackerel, are known to be high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help produce arousal hormones. Additionally, tuna is a source of selenium, which helps increase sperm count.

13. Sushi is a man's business

Until recently, women were prohibited from being sushi chefs because it was believed that their hair oil and makeup could change the taste and smell of the sushi. Women also have higher body temperatures (especially during menstruation). It was believed that their warm hands would spoil the cold fish.

14. Sushi chef

15. California roll

The standard California roll helped make sushi popular around the world. The California roll, or inside-out roll, was the first sushi of American origin.

16. Noritoshi Kanai

Noritoshi Kanai was a Japanese man who ran a food import business in Los Angeles. It was he who opened the first American sushi bar in the early 1960s.

17. Popularity of sushi

Sushi began to gain popularity in the United States in the 1980s. This was due to the fact that Americans began to take more care of their health.

18. Primitive sushi

Primitive sushi making is still practiced in some rural areas of Japan. For example, funa-zushi is made from local freshwater carp, which is marinated with rice and salt for a year. The strong smell and characteristic taste can be compared to mature Roquefort cheese.

19. The most expensive sushi

The most expensive price ever paid for sushi products was $1.8 million for 222 kilograms of bluefin tuna in Japan. The Japanese love of sushi has caused the world's tuna population to decline by more than eighty percent.

20. Bluefin tuna

As for bluefin tuna specifically, its population has declined by more than ninety-six percent due to the growing demand for sushi. Most bluefin tuna fishing occurs off the coast of Japan, which has imposed several fishing restrictions

Traditionally, sushi should clearly reflect the current season. Consequently, many sushi chefs in Japan and America avoid using out-of-season captive-bred fish.

22. Wasabi

Wasabi is traditionally made from the root of Eutrema japonica. However, in most restaurants, wasabi is a mixture of green-dyed horseradish and mustard powder.

While they were interned during World War II, Japanese Americans were fed SPAM potatoes and canned meat. They didn't like the potatoes, but they liked the meat. Even today, the so-called “nori-spam” - sushi based on canned SPAM meat - is popular.

Fugu is a famous type of sushi made from fugu fish. Fugu is notoriously difficult to cook because the fish's organs produce a deadly neurotoxin that is 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide. Chefs must obtain a special license to be allowed to cook fugu.

Gourmets can choose one of the following for sushi.

1. Rolls and sushi, as well as all other national Japanese dishes, are very healthy and low in calories.

2. Among the rolls there is one called “temaki”. Translated from Japanese, it means “rolls that are formed in the hands.” These rolls look like a cone made from nori. The filling is placed in the middle of the cone. After preparing such a dish, you should eat it immediately, because it quickly loses its cone-shaped shape.
Roll Temaki

3. Few people know that in addition to pickled ginger and wasabi, sushi and rolls should also be served with a salad of fresh cucumber and Japanese radish (daikon).

4. Masters do not use salt at all to prepare Japanese dishes. It is replaced with soy sauce, which has an interesting and distinct taste.

5. If you like raw, salted or smoked fish, then choose a type of sushi called “shaky”. It received this name for a reason, because translated from Japanese it means “salmon.”

Sushi "Syake"

6. Did you know that flying fish caviar has no color?! Manufacturers give the ingredient different colors using food coloring.

7. The Japanese perceive soup as an additional dish to fish or meat. For example, they eat fish soup called “Suimono” with sushi.

Suimono soup

8. In many places where sushi is served, you can find wasabi in the form of ordinary horseradish, in which dyes and spices are added. It is very difficult to distinguish it from real wasabi.

9. You may notice that a large number of sushi masters are men. And this is not without reason! After all, a man’s body temperature is slightly lower than a woman’s. And for sushi, a few degrees can already affect the taste of the dish.

10. In Japan, to become a sushi chef, you need to undergo a long training. So it would take you 2 years to learn how to cook rice correctly, and 3 years to cook fish.