Asian cuisine is mostly loved by everyone, from spicy meats and to earthy soups, there is always a delicious option to please any palate.
Among these delicacies, you can find is sushi!
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that includes cooked rice, raw fish or seafood, and other toppings like vegetables and fruit, egg and meat to achieve a more complex flavor. All ingredients are combined and rolled into a cylinder shape, then cut into bite-size pieces for easy eating.
The origins of sushi can be traced back to Southeast Asia, where for centuries people fermented their food to preserve it. Once it made its way to Japan, it evolved into the dish we know today.
Types of Sushi: popular in America
Sushi started a type of fast food and was sold by street vendors. However, it became a more formal meal that was enjoyed in restaurants. People from all over the world enjoy sushi.
Common types of sushi are:
- Maki – a sushi rolled in seaweed (nori) and filled with fish and vegetables, and nigiri, which is a small ball of rice topped with a piece of raw fish or seafood.
- Sashimi – a thinly sliced raw fish or seafood served without rice, is also considered a type of sushi. The dish is often accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.
In America, the most popular type of sushi is perhaps the California roll. California roll is a type of Maki sushi that is generally filled with avocado, crabmeat, and cucumber. It is often rolled with the seaweed on the outside, rather than on the inside, as in traditional sushi rolls.
The California roll is considered to have been invented in the 1960s in Los Angeles, California, by a sushi chef named Ichiro Mashita, who substituted avocado for traditional sushi ingredients like raw fish, which were not available. Since then, it has become a staple in sushi restaurants across America.
Another popular type of sushi roll in America is the spicy tuna roll. Spicy tuna roll is normally made with a combination of raw tuna and a spicy mayo sauce, which is mixed together and then rolled with sushi rice and seaweed.
The origins of the spicy tuna roll can be traced back to the early days of sushi in America, when sushi chefs were trying to adapt traditional sushi to the American palate. Raw fish can be an acquired taste for some, therefore the spicy mayo sauce was added to the tuna as a way to add flavor and make it more appealing to American diners.
The spicy tuna roll quickly became a popular dish in sushi restaurants across the country, and it remains a favorite to this day.
This tasteful roll can be served in different ways. Some sushi restaurants serve it as a Maki roll, others may serve it as a hand roll (temaki) or even in a bowl (poke-style). This roll can be found in most sushi restaurants in the US and can be conveniently customizable to the guest’s preferences, and it can be made with brown rice, or soy paper, and even cucumber shells.
Types of Sushi: popular in Japan
In Japan instead, one of the most famous sushi rolls is surely the Dragon Roll. It’s a true crowd-pleaser, and it’s easy to see why. This roll is generally made with tempura shrimp, cucumber, and avocado, and then topped with slices of eel and drizzled with a sweet eel sauce. It is a party in your mouth with all the different flavors! The crispy tempura shrimp, creamy avocado and the savory eel sauce, all wrapped up in sticky sushi rice and nori, is a perfect balance.
The Dragon Roll is a bit of a newer creation.
It is not a traditional sushi roll, being invented about 80 years ago, presumably created to appeal to the Western palate, as it’s a bit more decadent and rich than traditional sushi rolls. But it soon became a favorite among sushi lovers in Japan and all around the world.
Not only the Dragon Roll is so popular because it is so delicious, but it’s also a beautiful dish to look at. The colorful toppings of avocado and eel, along with the green of the cucumber, make for a visually appealing roll.
Some sushi chefs like to get creative with the roll and add their own twist to it, like adding a different type of fish or using different sauces. Ultimately though, the classic version is still the most popular.
So if you ever find yourself in a sushi restaurant and you’re feeling adventurous, definitely give the Dragon Roll a try. It’s a must-try for any sushi lover and we are sure you won’t regret it. It’s a delicious and beautiful roll that you’ll remember for a long time.