How sushi appeared: history of origin, interesting facts

Sushi is one of the most popular dishes of Japanese cuisine, the history of its origin is long and very entertaining. It is present in the menu of many establishments and delivery services. The main components of classic sushi are fish, rice and wasabi. The homeland of this dish is South Asia. The Japanese began to cook it only at the end of the 19th century.

How sushi appeared

The Chinese fished sea fish, after which they cleaned it and cut it into thin plates, stacking them on top of each other. The fish fillets were placed under large boulders to create pressure. It was kept under the boulders for 2-3 weeks. Then the boulders were replaced with thin copper plates. This process was required to ferment the fish. After two months, the dish could be consumed.

The secret of storing fish was invented by the Chinese, and then it was adopted by the Japanese:

• Gutted crucian carp were placed in barrels, previously tightly covered with rice.
• The products were sprinkled with salt, and fermentation took place for several weeks.
• Then the fish was consumed and the rice was thrown away. This behavior was very wasteful, but it was due to the fact that there were no refrigerators in that era.

There is no literal translation of the word sushi. But several interpretations exist, one of them sounds like “pickled fish”. There is an opinion that Asians combined raw fish fillets with rice in order to preserve the former. More than 1000 years have passed since the invention of the unusual dish.

At the end of the 17th century, the production of rice vinegar was established. It began to be combined with rice, giving it a piquant sour flavor. Fish with seafood and such rice began to be served raw. The cooking process no longer required fermentation. Initially, rice was pressed using special wooden molds.

Modern version of sushi

The modern version of sushi appeared only in the 19th century. For the first time the dish was prepared in Tokyo, in those days it was called Edo. An ordinary sushi master named Johei cooked a rice block, adding a small amount of Japanese horseradish to it. Even then, everyone was well aware of its antiseptic properties. Johei covered the rice with wasabi with a piece of fish. The dish was called nigiri sushi. The word “nigiri” translates to “handful,” which is how much rice was used to make one serving that could be eaten at one time.

The people of Japan eat sushi with chopsticks. But this dish can also be eaten with your hands, and in Europe they sometimes use a fork. Learning to perfectly use chopsticks is not easy, although they are considered a universal cutlery.

Interesting facts about sushi

The Japanese were going through hard times after World War II. For this reason, portion sizes were limited. Sushi masters were strictly instructed to make as many as ten nigiri sushi plus one sushi roll out of 200 grams of dry rice.

True fans of this dish are well aware that in different seasons you need to eat different types of this dish. For example, in winter in Japan herring is the cheapest, and in summer it costs like a delicacy eel. But the main thing is not the cost, but the quality of the fish product. It is important to know at what time of year the main component of sushi has the best flavor.

There is an opinion that sushi in Japanese cafes and restaurants is more affordable than in Europe. In fact, this dish can not be called cheap. Those who seek to save money, prepare it on their own. Making sushi with your own hands is not easy - it is a whole art. Training for sushi chefs can last up to three years. There are several types of this dish, it is prepared from different varieties of fish. The unusual taste of sushi is appreciated by many gourmets.