Here i want to share with all of you on HOW TO EAT SUSHI ^___^
If you've never eaten sushi before but want to try it, you might feel intimidated by unfamiliar food, presentation, and traditions. The flavor (and your experience) of sushi is greatly influenced not only by how it's prepared, but also by how you eat it. These guidelines will help you know what to expect and how to thoroughly enjoy your first sushi adventure.
1) Choose a reputable sushi restaurant. This is especially important for the first-time sushi eater. Poorly prepared fish can ruin the experience and make you never want to eat sushi again, especially if you're not particularly fond of seafood to begin with. You can do more experimenting with where you eat once you've had a few positive experiences with sushi, but when you're starting out, play it safe.
2) Sit at the sushi bar if you can. This will give you the opportunity to interact with the sushi chef and inspect the quality of the fish (which should be on display, and should not look dry).
3) Place your order. Order the sushi items directly from the chef if possible and order non-sushi items from a server (never from the chef). Ask him what he recommends, and if you can have whatever he thinks is freshest. Since sushi has raw fish, the fresher it is, the better it'll taste. Be careful in how you phrase it, though. Asking "Is it fresh?" might be insulting, because it implies that some of the fish might not be fresh. Just ask for whatever is freshest. If you want to eat something while the sushi is being prepared, ask for edamame (boiled soy beans), suimono (clear broth) or misoshiru (fermented soy bean soup). Choose from green tea, beer, sake, or water to drink; soft drinks will overpower the subtle flavors of sushi. Here is an overview of the kinds of sushi you can try:
- Sashimi - Slices of raw fish (without rice)
- Nigiri - A slice of raw fish over an oval of rice
- Maki- Typically one or two types of fish or vegetable rolled with rice in a sheet of roasted seaweed and cut into bite-sized portions. A good starting point for people who are squeamish about eating raw fish.
- Temaki - Similar to maki, except the ingredients are rolled into a cone shape that you hold and bite into the way you would a taco.
4) Clean your hands before eating sushi. Many sushi bars will provide a hot moist towel for this purpose prior to serving food. Although many people choose to use chopsticks, it is entirely acceptable to eat sushi with your hands.
5) Know your condiments. Typically, a plate of sushi will include wasabi (the green ball of paste) and pickled ginger (thin, pink slices placed right next to the wasabi). In addition, you will be provided a small shallow dish to dip your sushi in soy sauce. Pour soy sauce in the tiny plate, half-full or less.
- Be careful when dipping Nigiri into the soy sauce. If you dip the rice into the soy sauce, it will fall apart.Instead, take the whole piece in your hands and dip it in the soy sauce fish end down.
- If the sushi already has sauce on it, do not dip it in the soy sauce. Try enjoying it as the chef seasoned it.
- Alternatively, you can use chopsticks to dip the ginger in the soy sauce, and then use it to brush the sauce onto the fish rather than dip the fish directly. This gives just the "essence" of ginger, and the ginger is then not directly eaten.
- Don't overdo it on the wasabi. It is very easy to overpower the delicate flavors of sushi with a heavy combination of soy sauce and wasabi. Taste the sushi without extra wasabi first, then add a small amount directly to each piece if you desire. Be aware that sometimes nigiri has wasabi tucked in between the fish and rice; sushi prepared this way rarely needs extra wasabi. Although some people choose to mix the wasabi paste with the soy sauce, this practice makes it hard to control the balance of spicy and salty flavors and may be considered disrespectful to the sushi chef.
- 6) Eat the sushi in one bite. If the piece is too big, eat it in two bites. Pay attention to both the flavors and the textures. You may be surprised with how mild and tender the fish is. Remember that you're not supposed to be overwhelmed with strength of flavor here, but with the balance of flavors and textures. Take the time to enjoy it!
- 7) Refresh your mouth with a slice of ginger, particularly between eating different types of sushi. Do not eat it in the same bite as sushi.
- 8) Eat everything on your plate. Unless you truly can't eat another bite, try to finish everything that was served to you.
