A Swift Guide to Spotting Sushi

July 21, 2017

Think Sushi and you are instantly reminded of raw fish. But the reality couldn’t be more different.

You have crispy mushrooms, cooked Peking duck, diced octopus and even chicken (think Toriwasa) to choose amid more conventional options. While, any vinegared rice preparation is called Sushi, not all sushi is raw.

This weekend our swift guide to spotting sushi will have your Sushi game on point.

Maki Sushi

A rolled variety, you know it’s Maki when you spot Nori or seaweed on the outside. Interestingly, Nori is not the only option for you have almost translucent omelette and even paper-thin cucumber wrap for Maki rolls.

Traditionally Maki has lots of variations like Hosomaki, Futomaki, Temaki and Chumaki that include rice and fish. Nevertheless, city eateries offer you interesting takes on Maki with Rainbow Maki rolls and even Uramaki.

Uramaki

The easiest way to spot Uramaki is to notice that it has rice on the outside. Pune restos see it served with pungent wasabi and even a spicy Sriracha sauce in addition to soy.

Folks often confuse Sushi with Sashimi, though the two are completely different preparations.

Sashimi

Order Sashimi and you’ll find a dish of beautifully sliced meat at your table. Served with a garnish of sliced ginger or pickled radish popular Sashimi meats include Salmon, Tuna, Scallops, Mackeral, Octopus or even Shrimp. It is often paired with a dipping sauce like soy or ponzu.

Contrary to popular opinion, Sashimi can also be prepared with Chicken and called Toriwasa!

Nigiri

Plainly put, Nigiri is fish served atop vinegared rice. Officially termed Nigirizushi, conventionally it is hand-pressed and served with a spot of ponzu or soy sauce.

While Maki, Nigiri and Sashimi are offered by Japanese joints around town, there’s more to the Sushi game. You have Chirashi, Inari and Oshi sushi varieties that you simply must sample if you ever jet-set around the globe for the complete Sushi experience!