Consider this Sushi 101. Not all sushi has fish in it, not all sushi is raw, and many types are vegan. It’s healthy, thanks to omega-3 fatty acids in fish and seafood, benefits of raw vegetables and herbs, heart-healthy unsaturated fats of avocados, nutrient- and fiber-rich rice, and probiotic-boosting benefits of fermented rice vinegar and pickled condiments such as ginger (gari).
It began in China in the late Stone Age. Salted fish was pickled in rice vinegar and rice, narezushi. Flooding rivers during monsoon season scattered an abundance of fish through the fields, and pickling preserved this precious protein source. The practice of souring fish in rice vinegar spread throughout Asia and the sub-continent during the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Preparation was refined during the Muromachi period (equivalent to our Middle Ages) but it wasn’t until Edo — contemporary Tokyo — evolved in the 17th and 18th centuries that fresh-caught fish was served over rice and dried nori, a variety of seaweed. The style of sushi we have now was born then. High-quality sushi is still referred to today as Edo-mae (Tokyo Bay) zushi. (“S” in sushi changes to a “Z” when preceded by a descriptor.)
“Sushi” means “sour-tasting.” The key ingredient is steamed medium- or short-grain sushi rice, known as shari, dressed in rice vinegar, salt and sugar. Added are the flavorful inside ingredients known as Gu, (really?) like fish, shellfish, vegetables, tofu, sweet layered omelet (tamago-yaki and even meat!
