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The three main categories
of Sushi include Nigiri, which is a small rice mound topped with cooked or
raw fish, Temaki, hand rolled cones of seaweed that are filled with rice,
vegetables, and fish, and Norimaki or Maki, which is a combination of rice
along with fish and/or vegetables all rolled up in dried seaweed, with all
three having the same foundation of vinegar rice.
For each of these categories, the preparation is as unique as the
presentation or serving. For the right presentation,
Sushi should be served on authentic Japanese dishes.
Although the dishes do not have to match, they should all have a
Japanese influence. If you do
not have any Japanese dishes, dark colored platters or plates are most
acceptable. If a group of
people order from a Sushi bar or restaurant, or if you have a group of
friends over for dinner and serve a variety of Sushi types, you would use a
communal platter. In this situation, a nice
presentation would be to serve the Norimaki Sushi in groups of four and
Nigiri in pairs, or whatever combination you prefer as long as it is in even
numbers. Keep in mind that if
you serve Temaki or Norimaki rolls, you should serve them to your guests
first as the ingredients can cause the seaweed to become soggy. For any type of Sushi, the
seasonings used are crucial. The
two main types of condiments served are Soy Sauce and Wasabi Sauce, which is
Japanese horseradish and quite hot. Some
people in the United States have discovered that mixing a little soy sauce
with the Wasabi is delicious. However,
this is taboo in Japan. Along
with these, pickled ginger slices are served but only as something to
cleanse the palette between eating the different Sushi varieties.
For instance, if you were to eat Ebi, which is shrimp, you would take
a small bite of the ginger to cleanse the palette before you moved to the
Unagi Sushi, which is eel. Remember that it is
perfectly fine to serve a communal platter of Sushi but every person should
receive his or her own dish containing each of the condiments.
If you are having a Sushi party for people who have never enjoyed the
taste and experience of Sushi, a simple card with eating instructions can be
placed at each setting advising the guests that the Sushi should be dipped
with the seaweed side and not the rice, which prevents it from soaking up
too much of the condiment of choice. When going to a Sushi bar
or restaurant, you would expect to be offered a hot towel used for washing
your hands before picking up the Sushi to eat.
The Sushi is generally chosen from a variety of types displayed and
then eaten with fingers or chopsticks.
Rather than take a small bite of the Sushi, the entire piece is
considered a single bite. For
your own Sushi dinner party, you can offer guests a small hot washcloth for
their hands. Finally, serving
green tea with the Sushi is another way of cleansing the palette and adds to
the overall experience. If you
are a true Sushi connoisseur, the following are commonly used dishes or
tools for serving or creating Sushi: · Sushi Maki – These are small mats made from bamboo and used for rolling the Sushi, which is then cut into circles to eat · Nigiri Sushi Mold – If you prefer to use a mold rather than your hand, this mold is perfect for creating uniform shapes · Lacquerware – Lacquer is one of the primary types of plates or platters used in China and Japan for serving Sushi · Wood Sushi Press – This tool helps create the perfect Sushi roll. Simply layer in the ingredients, press, and then cut the serving pieces to size. · Sashimi Serving Trays – Sashimi is similar to Sushi except that it includes only raw fish. However, these serving trays can be used for both Sashimi and Sushi. · Rectangular Servers – If you love having dinner parties or intimate Sushi dinners, these servers are designed with beautiful Oriental design · Dipping Dishes – These dishes are created for dipping Sushi in the Soy Sauce and/or Wasabi |
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