Sushi is a Japanese food made with seasoned rice and other ingredients, often including fish. Some people mistakenly believe that the word sushi refers to raw fish. However, the term refers to vinegared rice (rice sprinkled with vinegar, salt, and sugar). The Japanese term for raw fish is sashimi.
Sushi originated in China by at least the A.D. 100’s. It originally served as a method of preserving fish. The fish was packed in rice and salt, then allowed to ferment for several months. The Chinese generally threw away the rice and ate only the fish. The process spread to Japan about the 600’s. The Japanese came to prefer eating the rice and fish together. In the 1600’s, they began using vinegar in making sushi. The vinegar shortened the fermentation time. In 1824, Hanaya Yohei, a Japanese chef, first prepared modern sushi. He served sashimi with vinegared rice. This meal could be prepared in minutes rather than days.
There are several types of sushi. One common type is nigiri sushi, shaped rice topped by raw fish. Another is maki sushi, seaweed layered with rice and strips of vegetables and seafood. Maki sushi is rolled tightly and sliced to form short cylinders. Sushi is traditionally served with wasabi, a condiment made from the root of a mustardlike plant. However, imitation wasabi made with horseradish is commonly used.
