What is sushi and how to cook it?

What is sushi and how to cook it? Let's find out by examining the dish in the context of Japanese cuisine and the history of this people. And then make sushi homemade - no less delicious. One of the key points of the right cooking is cooking rice in a special way. We will also pay attention to this.

What is sushi? A bit of history

The simplest answer to this question: a piece of fish fillet, pressed to a rice ball, and sometimes wrapped with a leaf of a special alga. But this formulation does not take into account the whole meaning of this dish for the national cuisine of Japan. For a long time this country has been feeding on rice fields, as well as seafood. The combination of fish fillets and the most common grass in Japan is a logical stage in the development of culinary ideas. Initially, the fish (peeled, cut and spread) were harvested, crushed with a heavy stone press and poured with salt. For many months, the product was fermented (this method of preservation was called "naredzushi"). Some Tokyo restaurants still offer authentic sushi. The smell of this food is so strong and sharp that it makes impossible to identify the species of fish.

What is sushi cooked in modern conditions?

It is not only a combination of seafood and rice, but a whole philosophy. The dish has gained truly international fame. In every major city there are now establishments where sushi is cooked and served . There are many kinds . The basic principle is the same - in the rice wrap the filling. Although now it can serve not only fish - there are also vegetarian sushi. For example, with cucumber, corn, avocado or cheese. Initially, the composition of the land varied according to the region in which they were made. More fish were laid on the coast, and more rice in the central regions. To understand well what sushi is, it is not enough to visit a specialized institution. The best way to come into contact with Japanese culture is to make this dish home with your own hand. Start by boiling rice. It should be round-grained and easy to glue together.

Preparation of sushi. Starting with rice

Rinse the groats several times. Leave it for a while in the colander. One glass of rice requires one and a quarter glass of water. Pour the rump with water, cook under a tightly closed lid for 15 minutes. For flavor, you can add a piece of seaweed kombu and a tablespoon of sake. Prepare a dressing from 1 tbsp. L. Rice vinegar, 1 tsp. White sugar and a pinch of salt. The listed ingredients need to be warmed up. When the sugar dissolves, remove from heat. From the finished rice, take out a piece of kombu and add refueling to it. Thoroughly mix and simultaneously cool the mixture by placing the container in the cold or fanning it with a fan. You can leave the sushi so, and you can wrap the cooked rice in special algae. Choose what you like more. Sushi is not always cooked with seaweed. Sometimes they are wrapped in an omelette or do not wrap anything at all.

Inari Sushi

You will need special soy bags resembling pockets. They are made from soy cottage cheese. They are sold more often in frozen form. First, the pockets are defrosted. In parallel, the filling is prepared: mix boiled shiitake with sesame and rice. Fill the pockets. As a filling, you can use a mixture of cucumber and shrimp, a salad of algae chuka.