Sushi Basics
This past weekend, my aunt came to Providence to visit me. I wanted to show her all that Providence has to offer, and food is definitely a large part of our culture. After offering a few different options for lunch, we settled on Jacky’s Waterplace and Sushi, which is in Downtown Providence and overlooks the main stage for WaterFire, a summer-fall event. I must admit, sushi is one of my all time favorite foods to eat when going out.
Sushi has always been considered an “acquired taste.” Some people just have difficulty wrapping their head around raw fish tucked inside rice and seaweed, which is completely understandable. However, I strongly encourage trying sushi, and taking small steps to ease into the idea of sushi. ‘Americanized’ sushi is an excellent stepping stone for the more traditional types of sushi, and there is no shame in a Philadelphia roll. Below, I have listed and explained some of my favorite sushi rolls. To truly understand sushi, you need to understand a few basics first:
To begin with, there isn’t just one style of sushi making. The most commonly recognized sushi is maki sushi. Maki is the traditional roll, which is created with nori, or dried seaweed, using a bamboo mat to form it into a cylinder which is then sliced into 6-8 pieces. Nigiri sushi is when a small slice of raw fish or seafood is placed on top of a formed ball of rice. Sashimi is the sliced raw fish served without the rice. You can also have a hand roll, which is essentially the same as maki sushi, but rolled into a cone so that it can be hand held.
The rice used in sushi is a short grain variety, seasoned with rice vinegar, salt and sugar to help create the classic sticky sushi rice. Maki and nigiri can be eaten with the hands or using chopsticks, but sashimi always uses chopsticks. Sushi is almost always served with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger. The ginger acts as a palate cleanser between bites, and the wasabi can be added to your sushi to add a little extra heat and spice. Be warned, if trying wasabi for the first time, less is more. A little wasabi can make a big impact on the overall flavor of the sushi, and is usually already added to nigiri, so adding more is unnecessary. When eating nigiri, it is traditional to only dip the raw fish into the soy sauce, leaving the rice as it is.
Some of my favorite rolls are:
Chicken or shrimp tempura roll: This is good for beginners and those who still can’t be comfortable around raw fish. The shrimp or chicken is fried in tempura batter, and then wrapped in rice and nori. Most sushi bars will top the roll with a tempura dipping sauce and sometimes a form of roe, or fish eggs.
Spider roll: This roll is tempura-fried soft shell crab, often paired with cucumber, avocado, daikon sprouts, sushi rice and nori and served with spicy mayo.
Uni sushi: For the adventurous sushi lover, this is sea urchin sushi. Above, I included a picture of my first experience with uni, and I must say, it was incredibly interesting. It was served with nori. Sea urchin has a mild ocean flavor, and it was more pleasant than I had expected.
Spicy tuna: Spicy tuna is by far my personal favorite. Raw tuna served with avocado and cucumber, sushi rice, nori and drizzled with spicy mayo. A classic, popular roll that is pretty straightforward.
Sweet potato roll: A vegetarian option, the sweet potato roll is tempura fried sweet potato served with the traditional tempura sauce, sushi rice and nori.
Update: I recently tried the “red dragon roll” at a sushi bar and fell deeply in love. Not only did the roll come out in the shape of a dragon with a wasabi head and teriyaki sauce legs, but was a delicious combination of tempura shrimp with raw tuna. A must try for sure.
For the truly adventurous, most sushi bars offer omakase. Omakase, or “to trust the chef” allows your sushi chef to create a unique plate full of different options and specials. It is a great way to expand your knowledge of sushi in one trip, but it is not for those who feel squeamish around raw fish.
Whether you want to start slowly with a California or avocado roll or dive right into eel and sea urchin, sushi is a must-try in my opinion. Most importantly, eating out is an experience to be enjoyed, so try something new and have fun!
