What Is Sushi?

Sushi is a marriage between seasoned rice, seaweed, vegetables, and fish. It can come in many different forms such as fried, cooked, raw, and only vegetables, and can have anywhere from two to more than twelve ingredients. This dish is usually the result of rolling the ingredients in a piece of seaweed or “nori”. Most sushi rolls are cut into either six or twelve pieces. There are many kinds of sushi, so almost anyone can find a version they like.

Sushi is so popular that they have developed multiple ways to eat it. For example, kura sushi, or “revolving sushi”, is popular for its special dining experience. You take your meal from a revolving conveyor belt that goes by the table. You can also order something specific at these restaurants.

There are also all-you-can-eat sushi buffets and restaurants that allow you to try as many rolls as you want.

History of Sushi

The original form of sushi, narezushi, originated in China between 3 B.C. and 5 B.C. It was a method of preserving fish in salt. A form of battered sushi called tempura rolls or fried rolls was invented in the 16th century when Catholic missionaries introduced the Western style of cooking that consisted of coating something in flour and then frying it. Tempura was influenced and adapted from fritter frying techniques. Now, tempura sushi is one of the most popular dishes in America. Sashimi consists only of thinly sliced fish and is often offered at sushi restaurants alongside rolls.  Sashimi became more popular in the Edo period between 1608 and 1868. It made its way to America with sushi and gained popularity by the 1960s.

According to PBS, some people consider a Japanese man named Hanaya Yohei to be the creator of the modern version of sushi. In 1828, he opened up the first sushi stall, where he sold nigiri, in which sushi chefs placed pieces of fish on small balls of rice. Nigiri came to America in the 1900s after a revolution called the Meiji Restoration happened in Japan.

The first specialized sushi restaurant was opened in the 1970s outside of Little Tokyo and catered to mainly celebrities. It eventually spread to New York and Chicago, and the introduction of the California roll and other American versions of the traditional dish made it more accessible and popular.

Is Sushi Easy to Make? 

As mentioned before, sushi has a couple of main ingredients: sushi rice, fish, seaweed, and vegetables. However, you also can’t just slap them together and call it a day. Making sushi is an art form that has been passed down and perfected over centuries in China and Japan. Today, sushi kits are available online and in grocery stores. They usually include a bamboo mat, a rice spatula, and some chopsticks or dishes, but a lot of people struggle to make their sushi look “perfect” or even stay together.  Additionally, sushi-grade fish is not something you can usually buy in your local grocery store. This is why a lot of people prefer eating sushi made by professionally trained chefs, like ours.

The Best New York Sushi

Explore this dish in New York at Zen Ramen & Sushi. We offer a lot of variety of traditional and modern rolls. This includes specialties that you won’t be able to find in other restaurants. Visit us today at 150 W 36th Street.