Japanese Cuisine

Japanese cuisine as we see it today, has developed and evolved over 2000 years. It show strong influence from the cuisine of neighboring countries such as China and Korea. Japanese cuisine became popular around the world particularly the western world, over the last 300-400 years and today it is one of the most famous cuisine in the world. Some of the best machine stars from and have their own restaurants in the UK and USA.

Most of the culinary habits can be eased to external influence. For instance, rice was introduced to the Japanese play the Koreans sometime in the 3rd century BC. The technique of growing rice was carried by migrating tribes from Korea who settled in Japan. soon it becomes the staple food, rather staple ingredients to the entire country as later it began Bing we used to make paper, fuel, building materials, wines etc. The other ingredients which became an integral part of the Japanese cuisine were beans, wheat, soya sauce that were introduced from China. the oldest form of noodles sakubei produced by adding rice powder to flour was also introduced from China. Tea & chopsticks evidence of Chinese in Japanese food habits.

Sushi, on the other hand has been an accidental creation of Japanese. In deer quest of keeping the fish fresh in times prior to refrigeration, the Japanese perfected the art of preserving fish backed in cooked rice. The rice would ferment and the acid produced would be help preserve the fish for later use. One day, someone tasted this rice and liked it day after the Japanese art of making regular and vinegar arrived at the front and combined the same with raw fish to make the most popular sushi.

Types of Sushi:-

1. Maki Sushi- Rolled sushi spread on nori sheets with different fillings with the help of Sushi mat called Makisu. This is cut into 6 to 8 pcs & served.
2. Futomaki Sushi- Same as maki roll, but usually thicker than that, Futomaki typically have 1.5 inches in diameter with two or more fillings. Its usually prepared with vegetables, meat & seafoods also used.
3. Hosomaki Sushi- Kind of maki roll but thinner than it, diameter of Hosomaki is only of 2cm. In fillings cucumber rolled inside its known as kappamaki (Kappa means Cucumber in Japanese) or Tekka maki named when it’s filled with tuna.
4. Temaki Sushi- Temaki sushi made with rice & fillings in crisp nori sheet & shaped it as cone. It is served on special stands & its need to consume as soon as it makes soggy.
5. Uramaki Sushi- This is inside out rolls, means filling with nori sheets & surrounded with sushi rice. Uramaki usually popular in western cuisine known by different names based on fillings, also known as Californian roll, when filled with Avocado, Crab, Cucumber, & fish roe called tobiko.
6. Chirasi Sushi- It means Scattered sushi, bowl is filled with sushi rice & topped with various toppings such as fish, condiments, & garnishes.
7. Inari Sushi- This sushi pouched fried tofu skin stuffed with sushi rice. Served as Triangle or Rectangles.
8. Nigiri Sushi- Hand-formed sushi which rice ball is shaped into oblong rectangles have slice of fish on top, with wasabi. Inside have Octopus, eel, or Japanese omelette called Tomago yaki.
9. Gunkan maki- It means battleship, small dumplings of rice wrapped with nori sheet & soft filling topped with fish roe such as salmon caviar, tobiko, & herring roe.
10. Oshi Sushi- Also known as box sushi, sushi rice pressed on special wooden mould called Oshibako. Bottom is with slice of fish & condiments rice on top & shaped with perfect rectangular Sushi.