What is sushi and how to cook them?

What is sushi and how to cook them? Let's find out by looking at the dish in the context of Japanese cuisine and the history of this people. And then we make homemade sushi - no less tasty. One of the key points for proper cooking is to cook rice in a special way. We will also pay attention to this.

What is sushi? A bit of history

The simplest answer to this question: a piece of fish fillet, pressed to a ball of rice, and sometimes wrapped in a sheet of special seaweed. But such a formulation does not take into account the full significance of this dish for the national cuisine of Japan. This country has long been fed with crops of rice fields, as well as seafood. The combination of fish fillet and the most common cereal in Japan is a logical stage in the development of culinary ideas. Initially, the fish (peeled, cut and flattened) was harvested by crushing it with a stone heavy press and pouring it with salt. For many months, the product underwent fermentation (this method of conservation was called "narezushi"). Some Tokyo restaurants still offer authentic sushi. The smell of this food is so strong and harsh that makes it impossible to identify the type of fish.

What is sushi prepared in modern conditions?

This is not only a combination of seafood and rice, but also a whole philosophy. The dish has gained truly international fame. In every major city there are now establishments in which sushi is prepared and served . There are many types of them. The basic principle is the same - rice is wrapped in the filling. Although now it can serve not only fish - there are vegetarian sushi. For example, with cucumber, corn, avocado or cheese. Initially, the composition of the land varied depending on the area in which they were made. More fish were put on the coast, and more rice in the central regions. To understand what sushi is, it is not enough to visit a specialized institution. The best way to get in touch with Japanese culture is to make this dish at home with your own hands. Start by boiling rice. It should be round-grain and easy to stick together.

Cooking sushi. Start with rice

Rinse the cereal several times. Leave for a while on a colander. One glass of rice requires one and a quarter glasses of water. Pour the cereal with water, cook under a tightly closed lid for 15 minutes. For flavor, you can add a slice of kombu seaweed and a tablespoon of sake. Prepare a dressing of 1 tbsp. l rice vinegar, 1 tsp. white sugar and a pinch of salt. The listed ingredients need to be warmed up. When sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Remove a piece of kombu from the finished rice and add dressing to it. Mix thoroughly and at the same time cool the mixture by exposing the container to cold or fanning it with a fan. You can leave sushi like that, or you can wrap cooked rice in special seaweed. Choose what you like best. Sushi is not always prepared with seaweed. Sometimes they are wrapped in an omelet or not wrapped at all.

Inari Sushi

You will need special soy bags resembling pockets. They are made from bean curd. They are sold more often in frozen form. First, the pockets are thawed. At the same time, they prepare the filling: boiled shiitake with sesame seeds and rice are mixed. Fill pockets. As the filling, you can use a mixture of cucumber and shrimp, a salad of chuka seaweed.