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Sushi Glossary |
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 Sushi and seafood in general may be one of the best sources of
nutrition available to us. Sushi is an excellent source of protein
and is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Wasabi and ginger both
have excellent antibacterial qualities and ginger is widely
regarded as aiding digestion and improving circulation.
Technically, the word "sushi" refers to the rice (the Japanese
word su means vinegar and shi is from meshi, the Japanese word for
rice, hence sushi is "vinegared rice") but colloquially the term
is used to describe a finger-size piece of raw or cooked fish or
seafood on a bed of rice in the Japanese style. Ingredients and
toppings have been expanded over the recent years to include an
amazingly wide range of foods such as avocado, cucumber and smoked
salmon.
Maki, or Makizushi: Sumeshi or vinegared rice and other
ingredients are rolled up in a sheet of dried seaweed known as
nori in Japanese. There are thin rolls (hosomaki), thick rolls (futomaki),
inside-out rolls (uramaki), California rolls and gunkanmaki (nigiri
wrapped in dried seaweed and topped with things like salmon roe or
sea urchin).
Nigiri: Little fingers of rice tiooed with wasabi and a
fillet of raw or cooked fish or shellfish. The most prevalent
today.
Inari: Sumeshi is encased in a pouched of boiled and
seasoned abura-age' (deep fried bean curd) / tofu pouches.
Chirashi: Slivers of raw fish, fish eggs, baked eggs and
vegetables, etc. are mixed into and/or placed atop a bed or bowl
of sumeshi.
Oshizushi: Sumeshi is pressed together with rice-vinegar
slices of trout, mackerel, or smelt.
Futomaki: Large Roll.
Temaki: A hand-roll. Cones of sushi, fish and vegetables
wrapped in seaweed.
Neta or Tane: The name for the piece of fish (or other
item) placed on a piece of nigiri sushi.
Sukimi: A chopped up piece of fish sometimes used in maki
rolls or served as sashimi.
Sashimi: Raw fish served sliced, but as-is. That means, no
rice or roll, but often served alongside daikon and/or shiso.
Wasabi: The hot green Japanese horseradish-like rhizome.
Gari: Pickled ginger, which comes in a light tan or pink
color. (Light tan is better quality).
Daikon: Asian radish.
Shiso: Asian green leaf vegetable.
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