How to eat sushi: lay off the wasabi and dip the fish – not the rice – into the soy sauce - The Guardian

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Name: Sushi.

Age: Fresh. Because sushi often involves raw seafood, it needs to be.

No, but when was it invented? Oh, I see. The story begins in south-east Asia, where fish was fermented using rice vinegar, salt and rice. That dish, today known as narezushi, was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period.

Yayoi … just remind me again when that was. About 12,000 years ago. It evolved over the centuries: people began to eat the rice as well as the fish and add other things, until it became what it is today – an integral part of Japanese culture.

Appearance: There are so many varieties and regional variations. But today’s style of nigirizushi is moulded rice with a slice of fish draped over the top.

Mmm. And it appears on a little colour-coded plate, brought to you on a miniature luggage carousel? Yo! Sometimes.

Then you can pick it up with your chopsticks and dip it in soy sauce and wasabi and … Hold it right there! This is where it gets interesting.

What’s up? No wasabi? We’ll come to that. Back up a bit, to the picking up part. You’re doing it wrong.

What? I said chopsticks! You did. Chopsticks are wrong.

If not chopsticks, then what? Fingers.

Says who? Says Eleni Manousou. “In my opinion, you need to eat sushi with your hands,” she told the Daily Mail.

And who is she? A top chef: Nobu’s first female head chef, based in Marbella.

Nobu, the expensive Japanese eatery, famous for being frequented by the famous? That’s the one. Owned by Robert De Niro, Meir Teper and Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, with locations in New York, Milan, Dubai and London.

I guess she knows, then. And what does she say about soy sauce? Try not to use too much. Wasabi is also wrong; it overpowers the flavour. And you should eat sushi with the fish placed on your tongue first, rather than the rice.

Eleni Manousou … that doesn’t sound very Japanese. Er, she’s not. She’s Greek. From the island of Kythira. But that doesn’t mean she’s not allowed an opinion. Sushi’s roots aren’t even in Japan, remember. Dishes evolve.

Over time, though . How would you feel if someone said dipping chips in curry sauce was wrong? Fuming. Even if they might have a point.

Do say: “I don’t care if she uses her hands, I would like chopsticks. Please.”

Don’t say: “Could we have some ketchup over here?”

The Link Lonk


October 13, 2020 at 12:10AM
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How to eat sushi: lay off the wasabi and dip the fish – not the rice – into the soy sauce - The Guardian

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