Admit it – when you think of Japanese food, the first thing that comes to mind is sushi. Don't worry, most people think that way, too, and it's understandable. Sushi is something very unique to Japan, and is relatively well-liked and appreciated in many countries around the world.
The Japanese has followed the belief that fish preparation should be kept to a minimum. If the fish cannot be eaten raw, then it should be grilled, while boiling is the last resort. The texture and the taste of the fish can only be appreciated if it is fresh and eaten while raw.
When the fish is not as fresh as 'very fresh,' then it is sprinkled with salt and grilled. If the fish is not fresh at all, then it is boiled with various seasonings. This concept of fish is what has led sushi to be a large part of Japan's culture, since a large part of sushi is the handling of raw fish.
The most popular kind of sushi that people are most familiar with is the nigiri-sushi, where a slice of raw fish is put on top of a bite-sized, hand-rolled portion of rice. The fish is often attached to the rice by wrapping a thin strip of dried seaweed around its middle.
Another type of sushi that has become popular in Japan is the Gunkan sushi. These are small sushi rice cups that are covered in dried seaweed. Various ingredients can be put inside, like fish eggs, sea urchin, and tuna.
One popular kind of sushi is the norimaki, or simply maki. It is made of sushi rice and various seafood and other ingredients rolled together in sheets of dried seaweed. Some of them are rolled from the inside out, where the seaweed is inside and the rice is outside.
Sushi is usually dipped in soy sauce and wasabi, though it can be eaten plain, too.
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