Sushi for me has always been an object of mystery. It is easy to overlook the complexity behind sushi because of its simple presentation. Yet within sushi lies an essential character of Japanese culture: minimalistic, yet extremely complex, sushi is both food and art. In order to be called a sushi master, a chef has to go through ten years of training with two of those being spent on perfecting the art of making rice alone. These sushi itamae are modern day samurais, wielding blades that were forged in the same manner as the katanas of the Edo period. They are master chefs in the handling of food, artists in their presentation, and performers in their preparation of food before the customer. This is what many sushi eaters have forgotten. Hopefully, through understanding, we can rediscover this art.
Before understanding what sushi is today, we have to understand where it came from. Though the origin is debated, some sources believe sushi originates from the fourth century South East Asia. At its genesis, fish was packed with rice so that the natural fermentation would preserve it. This method of preservation spread throughout Asia until it finally reached Japan. Here, it configured to Japanese tastes to form sushi as we now know it (nigiri) in the late Edo period in Tokyo. Sushi was then used as a form of fast-food, where people could buy it from convent stalls. Over time sushi developed into the various forms that we enjoy today.
So what is sushi? Quite simply, sushi has become an umbrella term relating to any combination of fish and rice. Despite popular belief, sushi does not refer to the raw fish, but rather the short grain rice, which has been prepared in a specific way with salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar. If it is just raw fish then it is sashimi, not actual sushi. For health reasons, it can only be made with the only the best fish, graded as sushi quality, which is one of the reasons it is expensive.
As anyone who has ever been to a sushi restaurant will know, there is more than one type of sushi. The two main types that are served in this country are makizushi, which is when the sushi is rolled and then cut into round pieces, and nigrizushi, which is hand-formed with the rice on top. The most important thing to remember is that there are many different kinds of sushi, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Other forms that should be sampled, include chirashizushi, where the raw fish is served on top of a bowl of rice, and oshizushi, where the raw fish is pressed into a block shape and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Etiquette is extremely important in Japanese culture. While reducing all of Japanese dining etiquette to as few lines as impossible, for the culturally sensitive who wish to follow sushi, I have provided ten of the easiest customs to follow. For those who want the ultimate sushi experience, there is only one phrase that you will need to know. “Omakase onegai shimasu”, which is you telling the chef that “you are in their hands”. In exchange you will receive his finest stock. While this will probably only work in more traditional places, it is a sure way to get the most out of your sushi experience. Just don’t expect it to be cheap.
Before we gorge ourselves on the different types of sushi, we need to take into account the environmental impact eating sushi is having on the world. Put simply, we are exhausting fish stocks, and a large part of that has to do with the rising demand for sushi. Does that mean we should stop eating it all together? No – what we need to do is ensure that we are eating less sushi and that what we do eat is of the highest quality. Sushi is a luxury food item and we should treat it this way. If we are going to ask some poor fish to make the ultimate sacrifice, we may as well do it justice by making sure that it tastes as good as possible. And please don’t ever eat supermarket sushi again.
Armed with your newfound knowledge of sushi and sushi culture, you doubtlessly want to go out and try your skills. My personal recommendation is Zuma in Knightsbridge. This is not a student restaurant. It is one of the best restaurants in London with a wine list and a cocktail bar to match. You will pay a premium price for sushi. What you get in return is the best sushi in London, and luckily you don’t even need to make a reservation, as Zuma doesn’t take bookings for the sushi bar. So you can walk in today and eat this delicious sushi for a price no greater than taxi ride back to halls on a night out.
Once upon a time, sushi had mystery. There was a time when it was not made by industrial machines but handcrafted by highly skilled chefs who did nothing else. What we as consumers must do, is make sure that what we are buying is a proper representation of the enigma that is sushi.
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