Eating sushi according to the rules

The pictures relieve that sushi has been prepared in my kitchen again. This time I was more in the “taking photos” team, while my good friend Becca prepared most of the sushi. And she did great, as you can see from the pictures!

Sometime in between preparing and enjoying the sushi rolls I started to think about the history and roots of sushi and I came to an understanding, that I know only a little. Only that sushi is delicious, probably originates from Japan, is eaten with sticks and can be accompanied by sake. I figured it is time to find out if my assumptios are correct. And I did. Lucky me that I hadn’t start small talk about the rules and manners of eating sushi, cause based on the knowledge mentioned above, I would’ve seemed very dumb.

Firstly, I discovered that sushi originates from China, where what was to become sushi was first mentioned in the second century A.D. Originally, sushi was a way of preserving food. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to ferment, which allowed an individual to keep the fish edible for some time. The fish was eaten when needed and the rice was thrown away (what a waste!!).

The method spread throughout China and six centuries later made its way to Japan. The Japanese, however, took the concept further and began to eat the rice with the fish. Very smart of them, I would say.

The kind of sushi we eat today “developed” in the early 19th century by Hanaya Yohei who placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice. Today, we call this style nigiri sushi. Sushi was served as a quick snack from sushi stalls on the street. It became wildly popular. After World War Two, the sushi stalls were shut down and moved indoors, to more sanitary conditions.

Sushifaq also tells me that not long ago, a sushi chef (itamae) had to undergo ten years of training before working in a restaurant. Today, demand for sushi chefs is so high that many start work after only two years of training. I wonder if the quality of sushi has therefore gone down? I don’t know.

Apparently there are many rules you should follow if you want to have a perfect sushi experience, such as:

> Don’t put wasabi directly in the soy sauce. Nigiri-sushi comes with wasabi placed under the fish by the itamae, and reflects what he feels is the proper balance of wasabi to fish. In case you like a little more, sneak some separately on the fish or with it.

> Pick up the nigiri-sushi and dip the fish into your soy sauce, not the rice (which will soak up too much soy sauce). The rice is like a sponge, and too much soy sauce will overpower the taste of the food. It could also lead to the rice falling into the soy sauce and making soup - a mess in one word.

> Technically you shouldn’t drink sake with sushi (or rice in general), only with sashimi or before or after the meal. It is felt that since they are both rice based, they do not complement each other and therefore should not be consumed together. Its like having sandwhich with bread. Green tea is a great option with sushi or sashimi.

> If you are having soup and are not given a spoon for your soup, do not ask for one. You are expected to pick up your bowl to drink the soup, using your chopsticks to direct the solid pieces to your mouth. And slurping is fine!

The list of rules continues. You can have a look at sushifaq. I feel much more knowledgeable now. Still, I wonder if everyone follow those rules? And can they be punished if they are not? After all, the most important thing is to enjoy the dish not to worry if you are doing everything according to the rules…right?